Aug. 29, 2008 - Our Homeschool Camp, 2008

This year our homeschool camp had the theme PIONEER and our camping spot was just perfect!  Though we wanted to consider pioneers in general it was a perfect opportunity to become familiar with some of our local history as we looked at the regions pioneers.

Our corner of the campsite - actually you can't see our kitchen which is based from our trailer.  We usually have our trailer close to the left of the big tent but we moved it further to the left to get some shade.

The older kids listened to their well known story, Kings in Grass Castles, by Mary Durack before we went on camp.  Josh mentioned that this made the whole thing worth while – having some context for the activities at the camp; knowing the story, knowing the people.

They tried their had a several pioneer type activities.  Making a tent using sticks, rope and a piece of Hessian, building a stone wall, and making a bed from bamboo, rope and Hessian sacks.

Nomi and Daniel making a tent.  They had to learn which angle to hammer the tent peg, how to tie knots, how to work as a team (there were about another 4 kids in this group).

The also had the opportunity to go fishing but the fish weren’t really biting so there was only a few with success.  The kids also re-enacted different scenarios, which were videotaped, acting out the different aspects of a pioneers life.  Gold prospecting, droving, setting up a homestead.

The other activity which was just fantastic to see happening was the kids all prepared our Saturday night evening meal – pioneer style.  The little boys were responsible for the fire and filleting the fish (they looked on more than anything here but they loved it!).  The girls were responsible for making Johnny Cakes (flat damper, bush bread), the big boys put the stew meat together (floured it, chopped the onions and browned it over the campfire), the girls chopped, chopped and chopped veggies.  

  Jess chopping sweet potato

Nomi kneading damper

Daniel (and many other helping hands) flouring the stew meat

Joshua pulled the camp oven out of the fire so they could give it a stir, and add vegies and water. 

Watching one of the dads keep 4 camp ovens going with hot coals was a highlight for me.  I have wanted to cook in a camp oven myself but the science of it completed baffled me so know I’ve seen it done I might give it a shot (I won’t be inviting anyone over for dinner though!)  He was impressive as he kept a fire going to provide hot coals, kept the four camp ovens cooking as well as keeping a few hotplates going for the Johnny Cakes.   It was full on work for him.  Stock Camp cooks, who use this method have my admiration!

The big kids went for a 2 hour bush walk taking them to an amazing lookout.

View from lookout.  You can see the dam wall in the middle of the photo.  This relatively short wall holds all this water.

We came home completely exhausted but we had a fabulous weekend and our thanks goes to the mums who put so much thought and effort into making it a memorable (and learning) time.

Aug. 16, 2008 - Story Behind the Photo - Nomi the Clown

Over the last few years we have seen Nomi blossom into a performer - she loves to make people laugh, she can mimic and her timing is hilarious.

Aug. 13, 2008 - Story writing and Book making

Daniel decided, at the last minute to write a crime story – where the police follow the clues and catch the bad man!

Naomi has included her love for adventure with dinosaurs for her story.

Jessica has written an historical-fiction story on Weetamoo (an Indian princess)

 Joshua has two stories to submit this year – one is Zoom Dog, he has published a few of these short stories on his blog, and the second is an animal story set in medieval times.

My plan was to get the kids to spend one week writing and one week publishing but plans always unravel!  Here we are the day before we intend to hand the books in and we are still madly editing, doing artwork, formatting and printing!!  Maybe next year will be less stressful!

There are a lot of skills that the children improve on, year after year, with this project

1.       Writing skills – I have seen the children progress from simple stories to stories with complex plots or unique voice.    We don’t focus on creative writing in our “school” time – I believe the children write good stories because they have read good stories.  Read more about the nature of Counterfeit Literature

2.  Artwork – over the years the children have used different techniques to illustrate their stories – pencil drawing, paintings, photography, models, clip art, collage

3. Technology / publishing – I have encouraged the children to use the computer as much as they want to in making their books.  The benefits of having their book on computer is that it can be reproduced many times, shared with grandparents and friends.  They have used Word Processor, Publisher, scanners, printers, digital cameras and photocopiers. Oddly enough things always go wrong when you use technology, so there is always has an aspect of problem solving attached – how are we going to solve this difficulty.

4. Working to a deadline – this is real life training.  If they don’t allow enough time at the beginning of the project they will always be rushing, pushing the deadline, if they do manage their time, then there is time to put polish on a project and be relaxed.

Publishing your own works is a great learning opportunity.  Other publishing ideas that fit family life

• Publish a Collection of your children’s stories into one book
• Publish a series of notebook pages on one topic – My book on Africa for example
• Publish your own recipe book
• Publish a book of quotes, devotional thoughts, memory verses

Read other ideas for finding a purpose for writing in your lifestyle.

Aug. 8, 2008 - Story Behind the Photo - Jess teaching Character

We were very proud of Jess, not just that she could teach the lesson - she has done Character First for many years and she has internalised many of the lessons, but that she was prepared to step out on a limb and fill in a gap - to us that is a very important aspect of Christian Service.  Availability!

Aug. 4, 2008 - Daniel’s Testimony

Sunday morning was the combined Church Service out in the Park – lots of people!  As a part of the children’s talk Daniel was asked to give his testimony.  He did so well.  He spoke clearly and wasn’t scared of the microphone.

He said….

I am a Christian.

When asked what that means he said….

When Gods lives in your heart and changes your life.

Amen!

Aug. 4, 2008 - Brother and Sister time

Saturday morning our plans kept changing – go to town, stay at home, go to town!  I ended up going to town to take Nomi into the library to meet up with an author and illustrator.  I was under the impression the session was for lower primary/preschool kids so we didn’t intend to stay.  Once we met these people though we changed our mind.  I am so glad we did. More on that later.

But meanwhile back at home Jess had agreed to keeping Daniel at home with her.  Often I don’t ask the kids, I just expect them to look after each other if I have to go out but Saturday morning I knew Jess was looking forward to some down time and having Daniel at home as well would change the dynamics of that.  She was more than happy to do that.

When we came home – 3 hour later it was very quiet and Jess and Daniel didn’t greet us at the door as I would have expected.  I walked into the kitchen and there they were – sitting on the floor licking a mixing bowl!

Apparently Daniel was getting floating around so Jess offered to do some cooking with him.  I was so proud of her!

So dessert was choc chip – actually Extra Choc Chip muffins!

Peter commended them both – Jess for her generosity and Daniel for finding (thanks to Jess) something productive to do with his time – a lesson he surely needs practice in.

Jul. 30, 2008 - Do I or Don't I?

For some reason it seems much more "acceptable" to post a picture of the biology lesson after the event than of the initial event.  The kids were fascinated especially by all the dirt in its insides.  Oh the joys of having a vet for a father!

My daughter, Jessica hasn't been so reluctant to tell the details!

Jul. 28, 2008 - Our Camping Trip to the Bungle Bungles

The Bungle Bungles is place of unique rock formations, gorges, chasms and rocky domes.  These domes are known for their “beehive” like structure and colour.  The strong orange/red is well known around the Kimberley and yet the distinctive stripe, layer after layer of orange/red and then black make the Bungle Bungles an incredible natural sight.

Pausing for a quick look down Picannanny Creek - which we didn't do.

We walked through the domes you can see behind us.

Peter flew myself and my parents over the Bungles a few years back – this is a popular tourist attraction.  We have been waiting till our children were old enough and strong enough to enjoy the walks before we came in on foot.  I am glad we waited.

Unfortunately we arrived in the dark, not really allowing enough time to travel.  It was a good test for family teamwork – setting up camp in the dark.  Our first assignment was to find out – by the stars – east/west.  Surprise surprise I was the one who was the most accurate.

Pete has been thinking about our camp set up for a long time – trying to make the most of his knowledge of the sun and wind.  It still needs a little tuning – but really if we had arrived in daylight he would have been spot on!  Camp consists of a large tent, two small popup tents for the kids, a trailer which holds the esky and water, a table for the kitchen and a table for activities, and camp chairs for us to move around as we desire.  Pete set it up so that the trailer held up a tarp over a “living area” making extra shade for us.    It may not look at tidy as some camps but we are a family of 6 (most campers are couples)  and it is very comfortable for us – and it works!

walking into the Domes (the most well known rock formation of the Bungles)

This was our first time camping in a camping ground, or a National Park.  When we go camping we usually go bush – to one of the cattle stations where Pete has seen a water hole or someplace recommended to us by the Station locals.  So the restrictions of a National Park camping ground were a bit of a new curve for us.  Namely, limited fire.  We are camp fire people.  Morning, noon and night!  But not in National Park where wood may well be the home of some little critter.  They supply limited firewood for communal fires.  This meant we couldn’t huddle around the fire to get warm.  Thankfully we bought hot water bottles with us and they were topped up morning and night to huddle to instead of the traditional campfire.  Not quite the same atmosphere but we were able to keep warm.

Though it wasn’t as cold as it could have been we find anything lower than 21 degrees challenging!  So it was challenging!  My M-I-L chuckled a few years back when I asked her to buy and send up 6 hot water bottles but they have certainly been well used. I think the next acquisition, in preparation for our next camping trip, will be beanies.  I know, they are not the highest fashion statement but I believe they will help us keep warm. 

Echidna Chasm - very tall, very narrow!

Beautiful variations in the colour in the rocks

We waited till the sun came overhead and shone into the chasm.  Beautiful.

One aspect of coming down to the Bungles was for a family rest.  It has been a very busy time for all of us and we needed time to recharge and regroup.  So we haven’t done the tourist thing all day.  We considered what we wanted to see, what walks we wanted to go on and planned one activity a day.  The rest of the day was for resting, reading, talking and playing games.  This is way the big table is so important to our family for camping – we gather around it and do our thing.  It was great to see Daniel with pen and paper out trying to write words just for the fun of it!

Peter has taught the kids ‘500’ (a card game) which took up a couple of hours.  Good character training too – more for the instructor I think!! 

We met one camping family – they moved in to the campsite next to ours for a couple of nights. (Not many people stay four nights like we did).  We had a good squiz through their camper trailer as we have been toying with the idea of getting one ourselves.    Their young boy and Daniel spent one afternoon together.  He taught Daniel to kick, catch and handball a football.  We really should have packed a bat and ball.   Daniel did quite well considering he has never had instruction before. 

Heading into Mini Palms Chasm.

This walk was a bit more steep/climb but still very doable.

It was also a new experience to be camping for 4 nights.  Planning the food was a bit of a challenge – what would last, how much would we need.  I packed too much food and not enough nibbles/snacks.  But our meals were delicious.

Sunday Dinner – while everyone set up camp I cooked sausages and we just had sausages and bread – nothing fancy – just get it done and lets go to bed!

Monday

Breakfast – cooked breakfast – eggs, bacon, onion, mushrooms with toast.  Pete did this on the open fire/BBQ

Lunch – ham and salad rollups (using Mountain bread)

Dinner – steak, veggie stirfry – Pete did the steak on the fire, I did the stirfry on the gas stove.  Dessert was canned peaches – was going to have cream (long life) but I forgot to serve it!

Tuesday

Breakfast – Left over sausages and steak, Porridge, Weetbix

Lunch – Tuna and salad rollups (using Mountain bread)

Dinner – Platter dinner – cheeses, muscles, crackers, dips, veggie sticks (Carrot, cucumber, snowpeas), I had sun dried tomato but forgot to put it out.  Dessert was chocolate pudding (canned – which we heated up in boiling water) and custard.

Wednesday

Breakfast – cooked breakfast on BBQ again – eggs, bacon, onion, tomato with toast.  By this stage bread is on rations so those still hungry fill up on weetbix.

Lunch – Spaghetti/Baked Beans sandwhiches – fill up on weetbix!

Dinner – Tuna Mornay. This meal needed creative thought.  I had forgotten about a colander to strain the rice so at last minute remembered the absorption method (which my kids hadn’t heard of and thought it meant overcooked rice! LOL) so that bit went well.  But by the time it came to making the white sauce we had run out of gas so it was back to the BBQ with saucepan.  It worked out really well and everyone loved it!  It was like comfort food when everyone was so cold.  Dessert was just custard – I had planned fruit cake and custard but we left the fruit cake at home!

Thursday

Breakfast – this was going to be bacon and eggs but since we had run out of bread I decided to make an omlette using minute noodles.  Boiled the big pot on the open fire/BBQ and cooked the noodles.  Scooped them into the frypan and tossed with scrambled eggs/milk.  While this gently cooked on the side of the fire Pete cooked our last pack of bacon.  This was a delicious meal and one we will do again – whether we have bread or not!

Straight after breakfast we took down camp.  It took us about 1 hour in the dark to set up (Pete and Josh actually did the tarp/shade the next day) and it took us 2 hours to pack up.  We were pretty happy with that.

Yet another type of rock formation and colour

The drive home was quite different, scenery wise, since we had driven into the park in the dark. 

We got  home, rested in soul but not so in body.  Camping is hard work but very enjoyable.  I’m glad we spaced out the walks and took it easy.  It meant the time away was as much about family time as it was about seeing the Bungle Bungles. 

Jul. 26, 2008 - Our Creative Projects at the Show

Joshua's catapult

Jessica's embroidery for which she received a first

Nomi made this bear and received first place - truly well earnt!

I don't have a close up of an individual project of Daniels but here is his collection!

Over the last 9 months or so we have  met with a few other homeschool girls regularly and learnt applique and quilting.  We call this time Keepers, or our Creative Club.  The girls worked hard to complete their quilts for the Show. 

Each of the quilts were different in some way -
but all the same colour scheme and pattern.

Jul. 2, 2008 - I've been very quiet round here

Jun. 23, 2008 - Learning Happened from 16th June

Peter had Monday at home and was able to spend most of that time with the children working on family projects.

Daniel had a play date with some boys while I talked to his mum at the park. 

The kids have worked on their persuasive speech diligently.  This has been a big project for them in that it is the first time they have been required to write to a formal structure.  I am really pleased with the topics that they have chosen though initially Josh wanted to do “The Sky is Green”.  Where does he come up with these thoughts!!

I started woodworking with Daniel.  We have made our first completed woodwork project – though we did need a little help from Peter!  We made a bench hook – which will help Daniel the next time he is sawing more wood.

We had a big bake day.  I baked lamingtons for my friends birthday morning tea, and the girls cooked double recipes since we are on the morning tea roster on Sunday.  I’d like us to do one more slice but if we don’t store bought chocolate biscuits will have to do.

Nomi resumed her computer lessons with A.BB.  A.BB isn’t teaching as much as she is learning beside Nomi but it is good to have an adult with Nomi.  So it is working well.  They are just learning about the different parts of a computer and what they all do.  Getting a big picture before they start to use a computer.

Jess processed an internet order.   Mmmm   I trust this is a good life skill to have!

Daniel and I have been having good lesson time together.  We have started with our devotional reading and prayer, then read a chapter from the Bible (his request – he wants me to read the whole Bible to him) and then we have worked on telling the time and his reading lessons.  We have been doing this outside on the veranda – the mornings have been lovely.

Nomi prepared the table for a lovely morning tea – she cleaned crockery, set the table, arranged flowers, made sure everything was just right.  She did this all while I was in town.

We are helping a boy with a disability, with a photographic project.  He has photographed and interviewed the staff for one of the farming ventures in town and is making a notice board display including a map, photos, personal info and then a small mini project based on each of the countries they all come from. This will take us about 4 weeks to put together.  Josh is doing so very well in communicating to him, teaching him, keeping him on track and even bringing things back on track if they stray off.  I have been very proud of the way Josh is handling this situation.

Saturday brought cricket for Daniel and Netball for the girls.  The girls comp is a few girls short so Jess has been playing in the 10-11yo and Nomi has been playing in the 12-13yo.  Both of them have been getting two games most Saturdays.  Thanks to our friend LS who taught them so much last year they are thoroughly enjoying the sport.

Jess played the piano and sang backup for a few songs on Sunday.

Pete and I headed off for another date (2 in as many weeks!!).  We had guests arriving for dinner so we asked the children to get the house ready.  What a blessing to be able to have a date, and come home to a very well ordered home, ready for guests to arrive 30minutes later!

Jun. 20, 2008 - Today we had a Tea Party

I had to go into town early to drop Jess off to Mainly Music and buy my friend a present (yes I know I should have been more organized!!) The plan was that I would get back just before our guests arrived!  Therefore it was Nomi’s responsibility to get the table and house ready for guests.  She did a great job.

She set the table, cleaned the china, found flowers for the vase, put out a choice of teas, arranged the lamingtons and found a musical candle to help us sing Happy Birthday!  She did an excellent job.

In honour of one our guests being Canadian  I thought I would bake traditional Aussie Lamingtons.  Things got a bit tricky with the icing so I made a panic call to my MIL – who taught me to make them.  She wasn’t home but I had a quick chat to my SIL who helped me out.  In the end they came together quick and effortlessly and were delicious.  I enjoyed the opportunity to bake something a little extra as I haven’t done that for ages.

We had a wonderful morning – quickly moving into the afternoon!  It was after 2.00 that we had to push them out the door!  We had arranged to go to the airport to say goodbye to another friend. 

We bought back a car full of kids for an impromptu play date late this afternoon (this sentence makes them sound like strays we picked up off the street but they were actually our close friends who were also at the airport.)

Jun. 17, 2008 - We got things done today!

We had very specific goals this morning and it was a good way to start the morning.  I got the laundry started early while Pete tackled office work.  The kids and I worked with the housework till morning tea.  After that, they piled in the car with Pete and headed into town for a rubbish run, lunch in town and to buy a few things to fix their bikes with.  I had a couple of hours to myself – I finished off the housework and did a little bit of reading – two hours don’t last that long! 

Pete planned on fixing bikes, collecting palm fronds and spraying weeds around the veggie patch with the kids in the afternoon so I took the opportunity to be in the office with no interruptions.  Yay!!

I then cooked dinner.  Now this sounds like an everyday occurrence but….thinking about dinner has happened at 5.00pm around here lately.  I am trying to develop a new habit of thinking of dinner after lunch and by 3.00pm at the latest.  So a big tick for me for today!!

Jess had a piano lesson and while Josh mowed the lawn I thought I would wander down to the veggie patch and do some weeding.  But Pete had beat me to it with the spray wand – so it wasn’t worth doing by hand till they all die.  Pete and I planted out some seeds instead.  We have a huge garden this year; we can’t fill it even when we try.  It will be good to have a few empty patches so we can plant a second round in a few weeks’ time.

We sat at the dinner table this evening, quite content with our efforts for today.  We are tired but all is well!

Jun. 15, 2008 - Our Sunday

We started our Sunday with our traditional cooked breakfast out on the veranda.  Pete cooks the bacon, tomato, onion and mushrooms on the BBQ and I cook the eggs and toast inside. 

Jess presented the kids talk at church - where all the kids come to the front of the church and listen to a “sermon for kids”.  She talked about showing kindness – not just saying kind things.  This was her third time and she does very well.  She does all the prep by herself and often ad libs as she goes along making sure the kids are left with a “take home” message. 

Pete and I planned for a “date” this afternoon – though we had to come home from church to have a nap first!  LOL!!  We actually napped for far longer than we intended and didn’t get away till after 3.00pm.  One of the farms in the area has started an outdoor café which we hadn’t been to before so we went there.  It as very nice and it is sure to become a favourite.  We sat out under the trees, on comfortable chairs, clean tables and the food was very nicely served.  Such dates never last long enough – we still had a couple of “items” on our agenda to talk about but what time we did have was lovely! 

But all things must come to an end – we came home to be told that the toilet had flooded the bathroom.  Once we got in the house we actually discovered it to be much worse than that – it had gone through the wall and covered the office floor as well!   So Pete fixed the toilet and I mopped the floor.  A green frog in the cistern was found to be the problem.

Joshua grabbed the opportunity to have a boys video night with his dad so I said we would have a girls movie night too (the younger kids having watched their choice during the afternoon).  So Pete and Josh watched 300 Spartans and the girls and I (with Daniel tolerating to be in our presence!) watched Emma.  I’d love to talk through some of the character issues Emma had with my girls but it is too late and everyone needs to go to bed so that can wait another day.

What a full day!  We won’t be doing lessons in the morning as Pete is going to take the opportunity to do some things with the kids, which is all a good thing since I have not had the time to organize the coming week.  Maybe I can get to that while they are in town.

Jun. 12, 2008 - Games we've played this week

May. 27, 2008 - The Community Celebrates

We started with a combined church meeting, out in the park, with “the Muster” as the theme.  You can check out a few photos from this website.

Since all the other events we went to were all in this week just gone – we have been very busy. 

Tuesday night we went to an Astronomy night where we got to see the skies with some very powerful telescopes.  We saw Saturn and its rings very clearly, the Moon and its mountains and crators, along with some stars out and about the Southern Cross.  It was a very late night but Daniel, our budding astronomer, didn’t want to leave until it was all over and there was no more to see!

Wednesday night we headed into a national park where the surrounding rocks make a natural amphitheatre.  We packed dinner, our chairs, a thermos and headed off for a great night of music.  The concert is actually held in the carpark so we had to park our car a ways off and catch a bus into the concert.  It is a real community event so there was lots of talking and catching up with folk, as well as lots of laughter from our own kids – so waiting for the bus didn’t seem to take too long.  The concert started with a 15yo playing three solo pieces on the piano, then the school and community choir sang quite a selection of songs, then a few soloists had their turn (including a 12yo girl who was very very confident and impressive), and it finished with a few more choir pieces.

Thursday night was a much needed night at home.

Friday night Andrew Ironside was visiting at the local COC church so we went along to their evening meeting.  Last Muster COC had Steve Grace up – it is nice to have a Christian event to support at this time.  The evening was a Worship Encounter - which included a personal challenge to build a personal relationship with God - to climb the mountain.

Saturday morning I ducked into a local art gallery to see their new exhibition.  They had a couple of exhibits during the past week which I wasn’t able to get to so I went to breakfast Saturday morning to have a quick look while the kids were all at sport.  Red Rock Gallery features aboriginal art and a local artist, Jeanette Dyson.  I really like Jeannette’s work – she works with local ocre paint colours and a little paint. 

So ends our busy Muster time – Saturday night there is the main concert, the Kimberly Moon Experience, with quite a lineup – Jimmy Barnes, Chris Matthews and Adam Harvey, Darwin Army Band and several other entertainers.  We stayed home!

May. 11, 2008 - 8 hours in the Park

I can’t believe we spent 8 hours in the park!  We arrived at 8.00am for our monthly Co-op.  We were planning / hoping to see an Army Band but that didn’t come off so we ended up just gathering at the park for social time though we started with a session on Character and then the kids had an Oral Presentation / Show ‘n Tell session.  Then it was free play.

We had a guest speaker call in –i t was arranged the night before!  He is an expert in the field of learning difficulties, disabilities and especially with the idea of “inclusions” which is including these children in regular classroom activities.  I asked him to come and speak to us mainly because inclusions is based on the idea of multi-level teaching, just as every homeschooling family has to deal with.  Several of the families also have children with learning difficulties and since there is a possibility of him coming to town more often, the homeschoolers are a group of the community who may be interested in his services.  He won our hearts by introducing himself as a person who has an affinity with the idea that parents are the best teachers for their children and then talking about his research and statistics that would say that each child in a classroom situation gets 7.5minutes of individualized teaching a day.  We were left feeling that even on our worst days we could manage that!  So he was off to a good start!!  The ladies were very encouraged and a couple will no doubt take up some of his services to help their kids.

I was very proud of the big kids, they just took the little kids (and there are a lot more little kids than there are big ones!) and took them off to play down wind so the mums could have this meeting.  Their play continued well for another hour and then it was time for the littlies to go home.

The big kids stayed on, had lunch and then we had our next Speak Up lesson.  (Public Speaking).  The kids did another interpretative speech – some getting it and some not quite.  The one thing that is holding most of them back is they are not putting enough time into the memorization.  But the important things with this years study on public speaking is that everyone gives it a go and improves on their own ability and they are all doing so very well.

One of the mums came to pick the kids up just before 2.00 so we sat and chatted till I had to drop the other family off for their gym practice and then I came back to the park, and sat and talked for another 1.5hours!  During this time the kids ran, played cricket, talked, played a board game, climbed trees, and played imagination games.  They had a ball!  At 4.00 o’clock we reluctantly gathered up our children, decided to go to the shop for pizza and chocolate for dinner!!  Came home and crashed.  Though the day was very full-on for me personally (I instructed 2 sessions of character,  supervised Oral presentations, kept the meeting with guest speaker rolling, and taught Speak Up) it was a lovely end to the very full day.  I still can’t believe we spent 8 hours in the park!

May. 11, 2008 - Homeschooling with Friends, a goodbye to FIAR

We started the day with playing a new game called “Zoob”.  Fantastic game.  It covered skills such as spacial/building skills, strategic/planning skills, and then of course, when you play any game there are the skills of following the rules, being gracious to others, and keeping focused!  This is a game I highly recommend for any family.

We then had our table time (when I taught Daniel his phonics lessons) and morning tea – which the kids took outside and played in the cubby while they ate.  I think they played more than they ate because when I called them in to read our FIAR story they brought their morning tea with them.  We read “Andy and the Lion” which I hardly remember from previous FIAR rounds though Jess remembered it clearly.  After we read it we discussed many of the concepts that are written in the FIAR manual, since this was going to be the only time we read the book.  I may actually keep a few of the activities/notebooking opportunities for times when I need Daniel to do an independent activity over the next few weeks.  Though it makes me sad to say goodbye to FIAR we are moving onto KONOS for Nomi and Daniel’s studies.  Actually its not a real and proper good bye to FIAR because I love it too much so we will do different books much like we did today – grab a book, enjoy the story and learn what we can from it in the time we have and we’ll do that every so often.  You can never say goodbye to a true friend!

May. 11, 2008 - Training the next generation of Homeschoolers

Since Wednesday was a stay at home day – with no visitors I decided it was a good opportunity to finish the lesson prep that I have been working on for our next study block.  Jess became the homeschool ‘marm so I could focus in the office.  She read a book to Nomi and Daniel and then took them down the farm road a bit to a patch of county that had been burnt out a few weeks ago.  I wanted them to draw a picture, with charcoal, and in a few weeks time I want them to go back and draw the colour as the country comes back to life.  She then supervised as they worked on their discipline studies (3 R’s etc).  Later in the day she read another story and helped them with their notebook pages and narrations.  I achieved a lot in the office and it was great to see the family pulling together this way, not only where they supporting me, Jess was gaining experience of keeping kids motivated and on task, the other kids had practice at taking instructions from another source other than me.  Though I don’t want to expect Jess to do this too often it was very helpful way of our family achieving our family goals for the day.

May. 11, 2008 - Veggie Garden

It’s that time of the year when we need to get our veggie garden into order.  I love the idea of keeping an all-year-round garden but the wet season up here that means a lot of work and a big learning curve.  So for the moment we are happy to plant a veggie garden about this time of the year and enjoy one season of fresh greens, tomatoes, capsicums and hopefully corn.  Peter has doubled the plot for this year, and put automatic reticulation/sprinklers on it so we can go away for the weekends etc and come back to our garden, still alive!!  Having a bigger garden means that I may get two rotations, especially of Chinese greens and maybe tomatoes in the growing period.   Saturday morning my friend picked up $40 worth of seedlings so we should be set.  Now the trick is to keep them alive till I have the beds dug up!