Morning tea

DD9 is always trying to make houses outside. Some are used everyday even to write and read at.

 Ds6 is making something he's seen in a computer game...he's playing Spore

He's also remembering the trips to the Museum (favourite place to visit in Auckland) DD9s study on Maori villages and life. How tools are made.

Square foot gardening yahoo

It's working!!!

So exciting and cool!

Flowers in November

November already

Captain America after playing computer games

Just to give you an idea of what our day looks like some times.

DD9 has been working on her Pa site for ages

All of a sudden it was finished and the added extras of animals placed. 

DD9 loved this study and has really got into the whole idea and often has been found out in the garden making string or huts in the style.

DS6 making a model of the house he would like...a hobbit hole and all the things he 'needs' very basic and lovely.

Having a wonderful time at computer club. Been a bit hard over the holidays and just after as we all managed to catch bugs.

Monday's cat is tired and sleepy 

Beltane tree

DD9 is reading Harry Potter but I've asked if she can read some of the other stories suggested in Oak Meadow. This has got her into writing short stories which is great.

DS 6 is coming along with his writing and reading. We on the yellow level of Jolly Phonics. Just seemed to pick it up after the first 2 books.

DD9 has been learning stilt walking and decided she wanted to be a Dementor from Harry Potter. She was quite freeky once fully kitted up.

science for DS6 was bird watching and how lucky we are to Have this amazing property which has so many new plantings and new life.

The look on my children's faces was totally priceless and so worth it all.

DS6 drawing of him looking at the birds

Potting area

I've been using the side of the garage bank for a few years...I've made it more stable and permanent.

My new short stuff step... Dave has been able to climb up and down with ease for a while but the kids and I have given up.

Dave made new steps yahoo

Dentist trip October

Each trip to the dentist we try to extend into other areas.

Currently DD9 is working on a food science section in OM. So we visited an Asian food market. She was pretty amazed. DS6 was not impressed as he couldn't tell what things were unless they were fruit or vegetable and even then that was hard.

The second part of our visit was to visit the ponds at the domain. Which held no interest for them but the plants were far more important.

October catch up

Wow what a ride the last 4 months or so have been.
I've been keeping a card file system kind of like what the Flylady started off with and can see the beginning of winter and how we all went down with colds. There seemed to be a lot this year and I know a few girlfriends from around the country who have been in the same boat. Anyway I stopped using the system on June 28th and just started trying to keep it all together the best way possible.
Which was not all that great.
We kind of fell of the good eating habits we had formed. So that didn't help with health. But I did managed to keep up with good planning for our weekly activities so we even though sick have had a rockingly good learning term.

DD9 really got stuck into her work and has been pouring out amazing stuff. DS6 has also followed along with his and things are just starting to click into place a bit more.
All very exciting.

We have really been working very hard to understand health issues the last few months. In Oak Meadow we have been studying food. Which has worked in so well for us because it has been big changes. While Oak Meadow has been a good start to introduce ideas I have not used their information as when written it was probably ok but now the food pyramid is not so good.
This has also lead into farming and food production. As we live in a farming environment we can see first hand what is happening to our land and animals.
I had an interesting conversation with DS6 as we followed a farming convoy of tractors and fertiliser trucks home one day. He's still a little young to understand the scale of food production and why we have gravitated towards machinery. His little voice over why could they not use animals was so interesting and true but the scale just not understandable yet.

Anyway....

 Circus School has been and still is a highlight of the week...why would it not...getting to play with all sorts of cool toys and push the boundaries. DS6 really loves the idea of the fire workshops but then when put in his hand he does have a few worries which is great as far as I'm concerned he knows his limits.

He's had a few of his little mates last term to keep him company so there as been a lot more monkey behaviour...but in saying that he's also growing into normal 6.

 Our lovely girls (and boy) we have Penguin front left, Queen B front right and Cornflower the beloved behind with Reddie looking over them.

 Once a month to six weeks we head down to Auckland for DD9 dental check up. The plates are going well and I can see things are really starting to come into place. Which is great.
Sadly she did have an accident and has chipped some of her adult teeth which also need fixing up, sigh but that is just how life goes.
So when we head down to auckland we try to do some activity to make it all worth while and not such a groan to go to Auckland.

 Spring is here. True to NZ weather in Northland Spring is a coming and going thing with often a lot of wind combined with lovely sun and freezing cold. I do remember one weekend just before Labour weekend Dave and I planted the garden then while having lunch and admiring our work it hailed.

 Our Nature table has been getting a lot more attention now as we have an amazing book.... which I will have to get back to you on the title. But really working well in with NZ.

 Our cat...just because he's so cool

 This experiment is one which is from Oak Meadow. As I said before we're working with food and nutrition. The idea is to get a cube of butter and some string and make a candle. I was skeptical that it would work...but it did.
LAUGH!!!!

 The kids were so fascinated with the idea and keep asking to do the experiment again and again

 Drawing. This is a long slow process which I can explain but then really I need to let go. DD6 seems to have the idea of looking at what he's drawing often.
While DD9 tends to draw more from her head and heart.

 Rosie the rooster has to go everywhere with DD9

 ARGH!
Our pumpkins didn't make it. Dave was so carful in growing last season and sure they would be keepers. But no we lost a lot. But then the kids got to take them apart which has been fun.

I've been looking up on Koanga Gardens and will be ordering some new seeds...with excitement.

 My son...sigh with smiles. The chicken he is riding is my large Black Orpington Queen B. She is lovely and loves being hugged by the kids and will often come up to them to check out what is going on. He is not really sitting on her.

 DD9 working hard at her Oak Meadow....because its actually interesting and current with what we are doing in our family. She was really fascinated with this part of the project and we had the bathroom scales out in the kitchen for a few weeks.
This has also been interesting with our cat...who has become sick once again. Mike the vet said "NO MORE Biscuits!" we did do that last time but when an animal is hungry and its 4am in the morning he can just grab some biscuits which will not go off.
So we've been retraining our cat. He is now pretty much a Paleo cat. Yes you can laugh now. But its been much better for him. Its hard finding food for him just like its hard finding food for us.

So in the cat's protest we have had a few of our little Peter rabbits brought inside. This big guy is still running free right outside my bedroom window. But we have had smaller ones been brought in as Mr Griffin adjusts to his new food. Yes they are pests and we should encourage the cat to do his job but they are cute little creatures that are so soft and lovely to hold even if they are kicking like mad to get down and away from you.

End of term three and the equivalent to Easter in NZ. DS6 just loves this time and always wants to do this activity with his mates.

 Nana Vanya showed them how to do this so many years ago and he's remembered the activity.

Dave's little 'mini me'. Dave has been working hard getting the wood up from down the hill then chopping it up. These rounds are SOOO heavy it does scare me a little that he might get damaged.

 DS6 thinks that my tomahawk is his axe. I do get paranoid about this but he's been very good and listening to everything that Dave and Dad have taught him.

Another end of term field trip

Gibbs farm

HOW AMAZING!

I was really worried about how the kids would handle all the walking as its quite a large place....but there was just so much to see. Even in the rain it was great.

DD9 couldn't believe her eyes when she saw a sculpture of a giraffe then she saw some real moving ones.

 Zebra too

 I grew up on the other side of the island from where we live now. This area is not far from my school so I felt a lot like coming home.

 I know its just freshly planted but I can see this is going to look so amazing and I would like to do the same sort of thing in the future.

 I didn't take much of the sculptures on my phone so I've not yet got some of the totally amazing views we had.

 The wall...now that was cool!!!

 

Playcentre camp or Cindy's camp. My children have a lot of names for these wonderful camps we go on organised by some wonderful girlfriends of mine. I live in such a WONDERFUL supportive community.
Last year DS6 spent a lot of time with his mates playing with the trains...it was not such a puller this year but still a place for a little quiet and time out but still playing.

The SLIDE. Now last year DS6 was not all that keen on this activity. Its been interesting to watch my children learn and grow too. 

Both my children have bleeding disorders and they are discovering what is safe and their boundaries. DD9 watched last year as friends when down together on the slide and there were a few injuries. This year she watched again as friends went down together and again. She went down once with friends then decided that going alone she was much less likely to get hurt.

 I have lots more photos and little movie clips but I need to be carful of who's children I get in them.

The Mangawhai christian camp is great for such gatherings. We have been here a few times now. The Haemophilia camps are often held here too.

Something that DS6 loves on these camps is that one of his little mates will bring his pet lamb or goat along.
Yup and we take them everywhere...to the beach as well.

 This was a crazy activity which was pretty dangerous but they loved it. Lets see how fast we can all go down hill on our bikes. While one lunatic son of mine runs after you.

 Gavin decided that these kids who live out in the back blocks for most to learn how to ride on the road. Funny I was laughing to .myself. We go away on holiday to a bigger town than the one we live in. Anyway....the kids had an amazing time and I am very grateful to Gavin and Sharron

 Rafts building...this was an activity which my two felt a bit full on. Very loud and confusing. But thats ok. Introverts and highly sensitive peoples don't go so well with loud new and confusing so they stood on the side lines and worked it out. Maybe next year.

 This was one crazy activity. Which I am not sure was all that safe...yet again. Sticking kids in barrels and dragging them round behind a farm bike. DD9 couldn't work out why she couldn't go with her friends...one of the benefits of being small is was under 9's. There was a look of horror on most of the kids faces and on my mothers as well but after a few minutes they all had smiles.

 Again I have got some amazing photos of the great confidence course but too many faces which I would have to blur out.

The last night show. Oh my goodness what a stressor that was. Lots of tears and 'I give ups'...goodness me.
But that aside it was the best show they have ever put on. No adult help
DD9 best mate dressed up well with her sister and put on a wonderful magic show.

 Taking some time out with Mr Cat to do some planning.
I have been looking over Oak Meadow work for DD9 next year. Its been hard to decided but I think because next year she would be working mostly on American history and it would be very hard to convert to NZ every week...all the reading material and projects. I have decided to pick up Start Right for a year. I've brought the homework books for year 3, 4, 5 in the hope she'll understand how things go and by the time we hit year 6 she'll be off...and me too with projects and reading.

 Oh goodness. As a last day of holidays catch up we accidentally ripped the cacoon out of the roof. So the kids have been  wanting to see what is in the roof for years. Dave took them caving in our own roof.

 The big Shake Out. My lovely friend Kim of Whangarei Civil Defence gave me a good reminder to do this with the kids.
We had an amazing talk most of the day about earthquakes and what would happen and what to do. But DS6 really put it down to a point..."But what would it feel like?"

Still at 9:15 we do the practice in our playroom which is where we would normal be.

 I told DD9 that there would be no way that the cat would be in her arms but oh well

 Our next-door neighbour has just had a hip operation...so as part of our health learning and caring for others and part of our big SHAKE OUT we went over to check on him and spy on his garden.

 This weekend has been a wonderful weekend. I would like that thank my lovely husband...I and a few other girls went off to see Dr Libby. Great talk and a lot of what I'm already looking at so it was good to know that I'm heading in the right direction.

First week back of term has been so good. Kids have missed doing their school work and the routine and activities.
This term DD9 has been wanting to pick up surf school ever since doing it at Haemophilia camp. She is just so excited and she gets to do it with friends.
DS6 was not so keen but once he's been on the board...we've signed up for the term.

 Back to circus school. DD9 is so excited this term she feels like so many things are falling into place for her. She's been wanting to learn stilt walking for a long time and now her teacher has some her size....Woop woop.

 Now my house is a mess I'm hungry the cat and chickens need food too so I best sign off.