Socialised

Probably the most common question home edders get asked is ,

"But what about the kids' socialisation?'

What they really are asking is "How will your kids cope in the 'real world'?" (Read as... they are not spending most of their day with 30 other children within a year of their own age.)

um...doesn't sound much like the "real world" to me.

Anyway...now and then we meet up with some other socially maladjusted home ed families. One of the things that reminds me why home ed is a great choice for our family is watching a group of children from 6 to 15 year olds play games together, all having fun and all joining in.

It is rare to see the average teenage boy laughing as he helps a little one play stuck in the mud or to willingly hang out with his siblings on an afternoon. Some might say it is weird, abnormal even.

For me, it is something precious. Our culture values individualism, and we readily split up the family for age segregated programmes and events. Maybe if we spent more time mixing with others outside our immediate peer group we would learn more about ourselves and others.

A Style All Her Own

When Miss A4 gets dressed in the morning you never know what she will decide upon.

Today's outift comprises yellow tshirt layer with periwinkle blue jersey, pink beany, brown and orange floral skirt and red and grey leggings.

Fashionista.

Just Hanging Around

Spring Fever

Spring has sprung...the garden is not so contrary now.
Pak Choy (or Bok...not sure now) gone to seed, but the flowers are yummy too, so into the salad they go.
"Water, water, water, mummy...water, water...no...mine water"
The salad garden gets dappled sunlight, so hopefully the lettuces won't get too hot and bitter. So far, so good. Also hiding in there are endive, more silverbeet and spincah, lavenadr and angelica cos they are pretty, tomatoes and a soapwort plant in the backc corner.
The raised planter boxes are North facing...hot, hot, hot there. From near to far...the corner of the box at the bottom of the pic is the Pak Choy, then we have a pea frame, next raised box is more Pak Choy, not gone to seed, a cape gooseberry, strawberries in the third box, garlic and shallots in the next two boxed with some more peas on a frame betwwen them and the spuds in the final two boxes. Marigolds along the front to keep the buggies away and look pretty, room for another pea frame.
The glasshouse is brilliant for seedraising. We have beans of two varieties, more peas, beetroot, zucchini, more tomatoes, lots of onions, sunflowers and marigolds (not doing much yet). Have to hurry up and make some more beds for these to plant out soon.

Not ictured is the thriving silverbeet...love the rainbow chard and some leeks that are hanging in there, red and green cabbage that might, maybe be starting to form heads.

Michelleacino

I was so surprised and excited to open my door to a smiling, beautiful surprise visitor and her two angel boys.

Yes...the lovely Michelle drove all the way from Massey to Matamata just to say Hi and bless me with a whole load of groceries and wool and pressies for the kiddoes.

Michelle, you rock! It was awesome to catch up with you and the boys were delightful. My kids loved playing with them...and we will post your robodog up to you soon.

Thanks to B and Janine who I hear sent some of the treats down with Michelle...and anyone else who I don't know about...and to Sarah for her subtle sleuthing..."So whaddya do on Mondays Karen?"

Michelle, I am so thankful and grateful for your love and generosity...I am going to pay it forward this week...so keep your eyes on your mailboxes peeps.

Random Snapshots

The Tyger

Tyger! Tyger! burning bright,

In the forests of the night,

What immortal hand or eye

Could frame thy fearful symmetry?

In what distant deeps or skies

Burnt the fire in thine eyes?

On what wings dare he aspire?

What the hand dare seize the fire?

And what shoulder, and what art?

Could twist the sinews of thy heart?

And when thy heart began to beat,

What dread hand, and what dread feet?

What the hammer? What the chain?

In what furnace was thy brain?

What the anvil? What dread grasp

Dare its deadly terrors clasp?

When the stars threw down their spears,

And watered heaven with their tears,

Did he smile his work to see?

Did he who made the Lamb, make thee?

Tyger! Tyger! burning bright,

In the forests of the night,

What immortal hand or eye

Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?

William Blake

Astronomist (I know... Astronomer)

O6 worked hard, enlisted some help from Mum and Dad and created a scale model of the solar system as an entry to the Katikati Homeschoolers Science Fair.

We rocked on up, O carefully set up his display, complete with asteroid belt and Kuiper belt, stars and planet facts.

When interviewed by the judges O displayed his love of all things astronomical and his wealth of knowledge about the universe. A question as to the position of the asteroid belt was met with a disdainful look from O as he pointed to the gravel he had positioned to represent the asteroid belt and Mars and Jupiter either side.

Quote of the day:

O answering the question whether he wanted to be an astronaut when he grew up...

"Oh, no....I might get pulled into a black hole and be lost forever.

Bless.

Oh, and another thing. O6 won first place for his age group.

Well done my science guy.

Fabulous Four

Happy Birthday to my amazing A and C.

We have made it through another year of fun and frustration...but mostly lots of joy and wonder as you both grow into such wonderful kiddoes.

C...I have been so blessed to see your generous nature as you offer to share with your siblings and even give up your favourite toys to them on occasion. We love your super happy smile and the way you get so excited about life. You are my snuggly delicious boy.

A...I love your beautiful smile and your silly faces. you are so full of questions and love to organise the rest of us. You have become so keen to help mummy and are a dab hand at all sorts of cleaning. It is so lovely to see you snuggle up on the couch and read E stories, you always look out for him, even though he is a total boofhead.

Mummy and Daddy are so glad you are part of our family.

The Month That Was...

So how has your month been? Some highlights of mine include...

• E turned two and we celebrated with a picnic on the porch. E enjoyed the choccy cake, cheerios and liqourice allsorts...mmmm...so did I.
• O6 won the Player of the Day at soccer last week, complete with battered trophy. He was super proud, and so were we, even thoughit was the last week of the season and he was the last player to get picked for it...shhhh, he doesn't know that.
• We watched lots of Olympic sport, talked briefly with ) about human rights in China and the world and the children noticed that "EVERYTHING is made in China mum."
• E and I spent a fun filled overnight at Waikato hospital after E decided that child resistant medicine bottle caps were no match for his superior intellect and drank 1/4 of a bottle of Dimetapp. I got the bad mummy lecture from three doctors and lots of sympathy from the nurses who all recounted what they had drunk as littlies.
• Our vege garden is new and improved, thanks to J's ever expanding diy skills and lots of dirt shovelling, seedling planting, slug bait and frost cover cloth to see us through the last pesky frost filled days.
• We drew our own versions of Van Gogh's starry night, added more pages to our reading log scrapbook and continued the astronomy craze, reading about galileo and O and J created a Solar System from various balloons for a science fair next week.

No More Baby!

Happy Birthday E2.

We are so glad you are part of our family E2. You are such a bundle of energy and light. We love your cheeky face and your non-stop chatter. You are insistent on getting your own way and determined to make sure everyone knows that you are in charge!

You are our rough and tumble boy - and although you can crash tackle all of your siblings and randomly rumble anyone who dares lie down on the floor, you are beginning to show us your sweet and gentle side too.

E2 and Opa pondering life, love and the meaning of the universe...42 of course.