Bird Houses

This project is again a bit of a cross over with both kids.
DS5 was to make a bird house out of a milk carton...I think what we ended up with was better.
The lovely man at the local ITM took the plan from the school book and cut all the wood to size while we were entertained by two older builders who were building a small frame inside the ITM store room.
 

DD8 works out how to put the pieces together

DS5 trying too

Phew this is hard work....6 pieces to fit together and the slope of the roof was not a great angle to really see

I think I've got it...no I don't want help...no I don't want to pre-drill

DS5 was quite happy to pre-drill and bash with Daddy's hammer his nails.

DD8 very proud to of done this whole project on her own.

Phone is back

After much stress I've now got myself back into working order 

Alice Miller

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alice_Miller_(psychologist)

At first when I started reading Alice's book I was disgusted and ended up throwing it back on the book shelf with disappointment.

Possibly it answered questions with answers that I really didn't want to hear.

Then a few months later I started reading Jon Kabit Zinn 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jon_Kabat-Zinn

I love his work.

While I've tried to work though a few of his books...I think I'm just not yet ready in some cases to take that leap forward though I really hope I can some time soon as I think he's just amazing. I think I'm on a loop which I need to sort out as every time I start to meditate I end up...argh!

But anyway... Jon referenced Alice Millers work and books.

I was like eh? But she's off the wall...so...I went back with beginners mind...Thanks to Jon.

Wow!

Talk about thinking and really getting to the heart of an issue....

These books stayed with me for a long time. Both Jon and Alice have given me clues to work with but I still needed more....

So in steps Esther Hicks.

Now I know what you'd say

Megan you've gone from one crack pot to another

Thats how I felt and I laughed to myself

But do you know what

Things have been getting better...combining so many bits of puzzle are starting to make a better life.

And Jon referenced  Esther Hicks too.

Its about life really

You can have the best work out routine but still feel rubbish, you can have the best meal plans but still feel sick and weighty, you can look into your mind your past your future but still not understand...but until you start combining it all together with many other things...

Home education

Healthy Homes

Positive relationships

Self confidence

Peace

Cleanliness

Healthy routines (not obsessed)

then life its really hard...talk about juggling woman of today (reference to a TED talk)

But thats enough rabbiting at 3am

Minecraft play date

We had a minecraft play date on Friday.

Wow so cool.

4 kids swapping from Xbox to iPad to PC.

We then manage to get in some food and some play time...then off to circus school

Was great fun...lol...all the class was made up of Homeschoolers

Moths in the garden

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/northern-advocate/rural/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503445&objectid=11416161

A good idea to make up...I'm not sure what insects we have in our garden at the moment. I know we got a hammering from some moth like thing ...was it  last year on the fruit?

Weather - Pam

So we are all wondering if it will make it to us and if it will bring any problems.

The past warnings have been phizzers but I feel it's good to be prepared must be the girl guide in me.

So the shade sail is down. Chicken coops are strapped down. Will do a walk around this morning to see if anything can take off. Maybe we'll hammer in a few pegs.

Check the water tanks and the gutters.

Charge up the computers...and Dave's phone 

Update:

Nothing happened

Funny but I was looking over my old blog with a girlfriend (arg I can't find the link) but cyclone Luci was the same hype and nothing.

BUT!

We  much always be prepared! Good Girl Guide I am...and Civil Defence personal too.

Phone v Washing machine

Dave bought me a phone which changed so many areas of my life.
This blog for one became so much easier...take a photo while doing what ever and blog it.
The last few weeks my photos have been so full I've not been able to take any more...so slow blog.

So last night after a full few days I just scooped everything up off the floor and threw it in the wash.
The frustrating thing was I didn't put the washing machine on until this morning after breakfast even...argh!!!!

I went to phone my Mum...then the cold washed over me as I remembered I left my phone in my pocket.

So the last photo which uploaded

Update:

Its amazing...but not quite amazing enough.

We put the phone in a box with rice in it and put it in a warm place...I turned it on and it worked.

BUT the screen is broken...the one inside. So you can't swipe to use it and I'm not sure at what other circuitry is not working either. the speaker is working but the SIM is toast.

It was so close.

Birds and finger prints

Dd8 is looking closely at finger prints. Not sure she really got the idea of using the jewellers loup but painting big is new

I would love to show DD some more art like this which has more depth...maybe we should do a longer study on this...which layers the paint rather than just splat it on and finished.

DS is panting Rio the bird
First time in a long time he seems very fixated on something. Very cool.

Bird feeder 2015

Yuck

It smells

Is it ok for the birds to eat...Google the ingredients.

Is this amount of peanut butter ok for a bird.

Why do we have peanut butter? (To feed the mice on the trap)

Oh the questions. DD is very concerned about the welfare of the birds if they eat this stuff. This was an activity for DS from his OM lessons but DD seemed to be more into it that he.

DS has issues with somethings which smell strongly or feel funny - touching peanut butter is just a bit much for him.

We've hung them up in the cabbage tree outside the kitchen window...but no birds will touch it.

:-( oh dear

Early morning anthropology

We've had a dirt pile since building the house. I've been meaning to design...then build a retaining wall for 9 years.....

Humm landscapers house never done?

But this has been the play pit since they could walk

Water...mud...hammers....slides...I've even put the shade tent over it too so they could play longer.

Cob building. Drying. Balancing. Bug discovery...that was a bit scary for ds5 to find crawling up his leg...a black cricket.

Lots of talk goes on in this play. Minecraft, animal questions... What happening during that week at computer club, who has new chickens, music/ singing....odd place but lots of learning going on here.

Foot prints learning story

We started off DS5 and I grabbing hold of the cat and a cup of water.
We took the cat outside and dunked his foot in the water then stamped it on the concrete...the cat was most patient. We finally got a good print and let him go...he proceeded to drink the rest of the cup of water while DS5 and I carried on.
We traced our own feet. DS5 pointed out how BIG my foot was in such a tone that I sounded like an elephant...lol.
Then we went onto the OM website and clicked through to the links to follow some more tracks. (I do have a tracking book but can't seem to lay my hands on it when I needed it...argh!)

We started off with the cat then the dog...DS5 hates dogs. We looked at pigs, cows and possums.
We drew the chicken foot and laughed about how it looked.
DS5 was starting to look grumpy and not wanting to draw and foot prints....
Then DS5 took over the computer controls and started to fall down the rabbit hole so to speak.

He wanted to see what a Huhu bugs foot prints would be like (we have a dead one on the nature table at the moment)...we spent ages looking at the various photos of the Huhu.
DS5 didn't seem all that fazed with the idea of people eating them as he referred back to the "rot squad" with magic school bus. Had I eaten one - No - but Daddy has...then there were more bug photos with wasps and bees with nests in the ground...which lead him to looking at cicadas which he was most fascinated with.

He spent ages looking at the colours and types.
He clicked on a few with trout eating them and questioned a little about that then went back to looking at more colours.
He clicked away on a drawing and ended up looking at old photos of railways being built..then discovered the back button and went back to cicada.
He looked at the lifecycle but which time DD8 had joined in and they both started talking about how the freshly hatched 'bug' looked like a fish. They talked about the shells they had found (the latest one from h/s camp I had to wear as a brooch)
They spent a few more minutes looking over the cicada and then onto the birds eating them.
Swallows seem to be the main interest.
DD8 from her studies on animals this week wondered how many eggs/babies were in the nest...they pondered over the colour and shape of the nest...laughed about how they looked like some movie they had watched in the past....

Then in was morning tea.

Griffin cat march 2015

Weather March 11

We are supposed to get some dodgy weather soon.

Building fairy houses

Ds5 is not all that keen on photos 

Dd8 explaining what they had collected for 'Fantailie'...

There are also 'nuts' for the animals too

Homeschool camp

What a wonderful event. Each year Whangarei Home Educators Support Group - WHESG hold a camp. Its moved around a little but mostly beside the beach...cause there is just so much to do.

UNO...oh just the best game for little ones and big ones.

 There was hours of running and playing tag or spot light, horse riding and beach going...bridge jumping and laughing. DS5 was a bit blown away by all the kids but he soon found himself running round with the rest of the gang and really looking relaxed about the environment.

This was just a short walk to the shop to get an ice cream. It turned into a long while at the beach 

DD8 takes the plunge

DD8 cheered on

Swing ball was a bit of a favourite of DS5

DD8 and DS5 were so torn between staying at camp or heading back home to circus school.

Camp won out as soon as the circus equipment came out.

All time best activity is bridge jumping

Mental notes for next time...bring Daddy, stay longer and take better food!