Butterfly feeder

Dd9 has been working through some units of Start Right...she's loving it

Sun sun mr golden sun

So nice to be outside again. Don't know if you can see it but I've planted out a plot and we've got the bird closh over it.

Potted up some seeds 

We have a cold ... Again!

Our reading material 

Our nests made

Our lemon honey drinks made

Painting the moon

Making the soup..."don't help me Mum!"

I feel like it's been a bit endless this whole sickness thing. We never seem to get a good run at things.

We've been working on Jolly phonics pretty well every day. 

I've have a big work over with the Grades...we seem to be splitting the knowledge over so many.

Ds seems to be well into Grade 1 reading but not the ability to understand the science or social studies.

Pretty much the same with DD she's great with language and not so great on the social studies or art...great on the science!

So lots of reading over lesson plans na working out which level is best for who.

Photo catch up September

My new garden closh is working well 

His and hers mowing 

So Oak Meadow said you could make a candle with butter...I was skeptical but it worked!

Drawing today in the outdoors...we are loving our return to outdoor learning and are spending as much time as possible outside.

DD9 with her pet chicken Rosie he just loves being a part of everything she does.

My poor over growen winter garden which has given us heaps...which is the first time for us.

My pumpkins haven't made it. So note to self check them in June/July then start making soup.

Queen B is our biggest most huggy chicken she just loves the kids and will come up as soon as we are outside to see what's up.

Catching up on some me time 

Erosion

We've been looking into erosion. Oddly enough its captured both children. 

We've had good long talks about how it happens and why.

We've braved the weather with our new colds to look at erosion around us.

DS6 has drawn himself outside with the rain and creek and mud.

Dd9 has brainstormed and come up with some great information.

We watched a short "how is sand made" put on by some university possible welsh which was very good. Ds6 picked up a lot from the guy nerating and really honed in on the word quarts. Was excited and surprised with how he followed the 'sand' to the sea down the rivers. Was totally shocked why the guy said it rained 200 days of the year.

We moved on to the next thing which just came up and for 15mins the kids were pretty riveted... We might have to come back to this.

ARGH!!! What to feed my 6 year old?

This has really only been a new battle.

Last year almost to the season DD6 was sick...I think we all know what its like when we're sick and the last foods we ate we are very weary of or can't stand....because it came back up Yuck

So no banana's!!! to the point he will ask if any biscuit or cake has banana in it...the whole family has gone into this because ... you know banana's are not what they used to be...something has changed.

No dairy!!! and I have to say that he might be on to something there.

When DD6 was brand-new he was a peaceful baby who slept and hardly cried and was very relaxed...totally different from his sister...which is another story.

Dave had been experimenting with going gluten free for a few months but then flagged it away. So in the first weeks of DD6 life I did not have any gluten and very little dairy as it was just not a part of the food we ate.

Then Dave went back to work (away from home) and I just had to eat food that I could manage to throw together on my own while looking after 2 kids and a house.

Gluten and dairy...milkshakes, pasta, toast, the works...

DD6 turned into a nightmare in a day.

Then my wonderful midwife and good friend turned up and took one look at him and said

"Go gluten free and dairy free"...she said that we'd probably have to wait a few weeks for him to come right...but by the end of the week he was back.

So I went gluten and dairy free for 8 months then brought back in cheese cause I missed cheese. I carried on with gluten free until today and will keep on because the changes in my own person have been amazing.

But DD6 has cut out on his own dairy and nightshades...which makes food pretty hard.

So I'm going to start keeping a diary of foods he's liking at what reactions he seems to be having.

Since going off of dairy he seems to be sleeping better, doesn't have purple circles under his eyes and he doesn't seem to have issues with his stomach ... sniff sniff Phew! So thats great.

A little butter - only a very little doesn't seem too bad but best not.

Going Paleo seems to work with both of us...Dave and DD9 just have to come along for the ride.

 

Koanga Books

My wonderful Nana buys books for my birthday....well I sort out the books I like :-)

So this year I've decided I'm going to start looking through Koanga's books

I'm very excited as this book I've ordered is written in NZ so should have NZ foods available...which is something I find a bit hard when cooking especially with Paleo books as they often use things which are REALLY expensive or very hard to find.

I've also got my eye on just about every other book in their list too for the same reason that its written in NZ...so food forests should have NZ available plants. Garden planning with organic methods in NZ terms.

So I can't wait.

Getting to do so much while our two little loves are away with Nanma and Granddad