Random Thoughts from an Addled Mind

TV or not TV...that is the question

2011-04-26T11:30:00.002+12:00

"Consider what a child misses during the 15, 000 hours (from birth to age seventeen) he spends in front of the TV screen. He is not working in the garage with his father, or in the garden with his mother. He is not doing homework, or reading, or collecting stamps. He is not cleaning his room, washing the supper dishes, or cutting the lawn. He is not listening to a discussion about community politics among his parents and their friends. He is not playing baseball or going fishing, or painting pictures. Exactly what does television offer that is so valuable it can replace these activities that transform an impulsive, self-absorbed child into a critically thinking adult?"
— Paul Copperman

We went TV free two summers back and it was great!! We never got round to it last summer and now with winter kicking in we use the TV more often. This quote has reminded me of all the things that TV watching steals. Mindful media consumption is my aim for this winter and TV free again next summer.

Homeschool Wobbles continue...

2011-04-20T08:28:00.003+12:00

Homeschool wobbles are universal. I found this encouraging post today.

My biggest wobles at the moment are based on finances and my own selfishness.

It is a big sacrifice to homeschool. Our potential income is more than halved - I have more earning power than J.

There is little kudos for home educating. When I was a classroom teacher I got paid, I got feedback on my job performanceand I got lots of presents at the end of each year.

As a homeschool mum I get concern and questions which, however well intentioned, feed into my insecurities.

However when it all comes down to it, I am convinced that the kiddoes are being truly educated and THAT is what it is all about. J and I have no interest in our kids being well -schooled...we want them to gain an education.

Maybe it really isn't all that complicated...

If you have a garden and a library you have everything you need. - Cicero

Check and check...phew!

Thankfulness and Forgetfulnes

2011-02-01T08:08:00.003+13:00

"The things we hate about ourselves aren't more real than the things we like about ourselves." Ellen Goodman.

Church on Sunday had me thinking about God's forgiveness and FORGETFULNESS. He chooses to forget about our sins, our failings, the ways in which we fall short.

Psalm 103:12 "As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us."

Reading A Holy Experience's Ann Voskamp's amazing first chapter of her book, "One Thousand Gifts" has me thinking about thankfulness as a way out of self-condemnation.

Considering the year ahead has me excited about another year of opportunity with my fabulous family. I am thankful to have the privilege of spending most of my days with my children, to see them learning and growing into the amazing people they have been created to be...being thankful helps me to see past my own shortcomings and to focus on love.life.laughter.

Our Biggest Boy is 9

2011-01-20T13:42:00.003+13:00

O9, You are such a blessing in our family. It is a privilege to see you growing up into a thoughtful and kind young man. You are heaps of fun and fill our days with interesting tidbits of information. It was great that you could share your birthday with two good friends and your brothers and sister. xx

Feral!

2011-01-20T13:29:00.003+13:00

"But...I need sunscream so I don't get burned."

Piccy...pic...pics

2011-01-01T20:20:00.003+13:00

The all important farm/zoo set up that lives permanentlyi in different forms on the coffee table...good thing we don't really drink coffee.

The ever scrumptious E4

Cheesy grinned...but handsome nonetheless.

Princess A ...biking with no training wheels...the before picture...the after is not so angelic...it involves stampijng feet and loudly voiced declarations of never getting on the bike again.

C6...go man, go.

We're Still Here

2010-09-10T18:37:00.004+12:00

2010

2010-03-04T16:36:00.002+13:00

So far, so good, we are settling into our new groove.

I am enjoying my foray back into the classroom.
Jamie is learning about opiates, cannibinoids, amatuerism in sport and the working classes and many other things.
O8 is reading a book by Stephen Hawking (Okay and Lucy Hawking...and it is a kid's book...but still very scientific and all that).
A5 is taking to writing like a duck to water and loves to write ...although not as much as she continues to love to draw.
C5 is keen as a bean to read and learn, play and grow and continues to display the kindest of hearts.
E3 dives in head first to whatever life brings his way and is often found up a tree or playing with his dinsoaurs.

Girl's weekend this weekend...yeeha...lots of good company, good crafting, good food and good wine...can't wait.

Off to the beach in two 2 weeks for some time with good friends, chaos, laughter and 9 kids under 8. Oh, yes, we do call that a holiday!

Growing Up and Facing Fears

2009-12-23T16:58:00.004+13:00

I am super proud that in the last few days my kiddoes have surprised me by making in roads into facing two of the Nicholls' chillun's biggest fears...well E3 doesn't really fear anything much so he wasn't so surprising.

O7 and C5 went biscuiting withe daddy today at Lake Karapiro...and both LOVED it. E was happy to go for lots of rides in the boat and went for a wee biscuit paddle in the shallows. Now we just need to get the heads under the water more frequently without screaming and we'll really be on the way.

They must have been spurred on by their fear gfacing last weekend when all four of the rascals willingly patted uncle D and Aunty L's doggies...not just any wussy little things but two fully grown Bull Mastiffs and bouncy Golden Lab.

Random Thoughts

2009-12-11T00:07:00.002+13:00

I was at a children's event with the kids two weeks back and it hit me...the whole thing was about control.

The kids were playing ball games in the hall, and everytime they changed the rules or were spontaneous or inventive they were subtly and not so subtly brought back into the "game". Then they had to sit in age groups and were praised for sitting so quietly and still, and then they had to walk in lines to another room for another activity. Once again, praise was given for being "so quiet and good". Prizes were given to the kids who sat up nicely and answered the questions with succint and desirable answers. Then it was craft time, which was well planned and lovingly organised...but everything was precut and pre painted and the kids just had to stick on the odd bit of fluff or googly eyes.

Afterwards I got chatting with another mum who began with, "You are the lady that homeschools eh". Turns out she is thinking of pulling her 5 year old out of school...and the reason?
"ECE is about the child, school is all about the system".

Touche.

Books I have read this week and recommend:

All This and a Bookshop Too - autobiography by Dorothy Butler
Adventures of the little Wooden Horse - Ursula Moray Williams
Tashi (beginning chapter books) - Anna Feinberg
Green Knowe books
The Invention of Hugo Cabret - Brian Selznik
Beatrix Potter - A Life in Nature - Linda Lear
Food INC - companion guide to the movie - series of essays - some better than others

Where do 17 year old boys who work at McDonalds part time get enough $$ to buy noisy turbo cars and then waste all their petrol revving them outside my bedroom window???

What is up with the weather???? Last week I was seriously thinking of putting the fire on and this week there is a freakin' heatwave.

A- final grade for History of the World. Learnt heaps...shouldn't care about the grade but I do...

Almost got the 2010 ch-ch-ch-ch-changes sorted...watch this space...nothing startling really.

Waiting

2009-11-25T16:29:00.003+13:00

Anyone who knows me well knows that patience is not one of my defining characteristics, neither are spontaneity and risk taking

However, at the moment J and I are in a period where potential changes loom upon the horizon.

It is hard to balance being sensible and wise with taking chances and risks...in my mind the sensible always wins out...but should it?

Cryptic thoughts...do we, don't we...where is God and faith in all of this?

Is now the time or should we hang in a bit longer with the status quo.

What will remain...our commitment to family...to home education...to seeking to push against the tide of consumerism...an understanding that there is One who goes before us, beckoning us to follow.

The Gift of Time

2009-10-23T12:00:00.004+13:00

As I read this post today at The Elephant's Child, I was reminded once again of one of the primary reasons we have chosen to home educate the rapscallious rascals.

TIME...in a hurried world filled with endless amusements, distractons, activities and busyness, homeschooling allows our children time...

Time to just BE...time to read a novel for hours on end...time to dig in the garden...time to sit quietly and think...time to negotiate and form strong relationships with siblings...time to look at an earthworm burrowing...TIME...

I love this quote from RL Stevenson...

Happy hearts and happy faces, Happy play in grassy places--
That was how in ancient ages, Children grew to kings and sages.

Six month check in

2009-10-07T09:57:00.003+13:00

Wow...I realised I hadn't blogged for ages but it's been six months...

Notable mentions:

We have had 5 birthdays... I am officially nearer 40 than thirty, and J is straddling the middle line...A and C are now delicious 5 year olds...can't believe we have made it...and our lovely, rascally E is now three. We are out of the baby stage and almost out of nappies...yeeha.

We have completed the hallway and spare room of our house...I just have to hang the curtains and door of the spare room. Lounge is also completed, bar new carpet which we can't afford yet...and thought it prudent to wait until E is totally accident free in the toileting department.

Educating at home is a blessing for our family as the kids grow up together and learn together. O has been studying Ancient Egypt and knows waaay more than the rest of us about pharoahs and mummies and egyptian gods. He is a maths whizz and is persevering with spelling and writing, in between heaps of real life adventures and challenges. A and C are remaining at afternoon preschool two days a week with E for the remainder of the year. E is settling in well at preschool and is full of beans.

J and I are busy preparing for History exams in a month...and I still have an essay on the American civil war to prepare. Jamie now knows all about plagues and pestilence and my knowledge of world history is becoming more organised. Next year I am thinking of studying medieval history and Jamie is tossing up further History, English or Pscychology. I am studying purely for interest and to try and keep a wee bit ahead of O's voracious learning appetite, and J is working to complete his long neglected Arts degree.

I have joined the gym in an attempt to get more physical strength and stamina, have some me time and help maintain my mental health as marginally sane. I am really enjoying the weight training and combat, pumpo and balance classes...runningon the treadmill and the cross trainer...not so much fun.

I have been reading a strange mixture of books...including Chrysalis by Alan Jamieson, and The Shack by some guy...followed up with Why we Are Not Emergent...By Two guys Who Should Be...by two guys who should be. I am enjoying the continual rethink and stretching of my mind about religion and faith. I am one of those strange Christians who has a conservative theology but struggles with the evangelical church and its outworking of faith.

I highly recommend two autobiographies I have recently read. Twenty Chickens for a Saddle by Robyn Scott, and Kate Adie-The Autobiography-The Kindness of Strangers.

I would add some pictures...but to my horror it appears we haven't taken any for months either...must remedy that.

Rainbow Sweater

2009-04-26T16:09:00.002+12:00

Quick Knit Sweater for Miss A4

Pattern is here

Anzac Day

2009-04-25T15:52:00.000+12:00

We read "Why We Wear the Poppy" and I cried when I thought of Mrs Mackensie learning of her boy Jock's death. I tried to explain to my boys how hard it was to think of them going to war.

We read about Sir Charles upham and C4 asked me "Were the Germans the bad guys mummy?" So I tried to explain how in World War II the Germans had a leader who was a very bad man and that not all Germas were baddies.

We watched a movie about the River Plate and the children asked "Why are they blowing up the ships?" and "Did the people on the ships die?"

O7 read about WWI in his Horrible Histories and learnt about the events leading up to the Great War, and he was confused by it all. I tried to explain about why people start wars and fight each other...but it was too difficult.

My boys love their army men and often stage battles. I hope they never have to be involved in the "real thing"...but if they do, that they would be brave and honourable defenders.

Blog Catch Up #84

2009-04-24T13:00:00.000+12:00

I seem to be all feast and famine on the blogging front. It is really because I really can't be bothered continually uploading and fiddling with digipics all of the time...it irritates me immensely. So every now and then I bite the bullet and realise I have 300 pics on the camera. Then I look at them all and realise that I have to share some of them...or lots of them as the case may be.

Seeing as this blog is our only current photo album and record of our day to day cominfgs and goings I do want to keep u0pdating it...however sporadically.

So once again here is an influx of new posts. See you again in a month or two

Love

k

xx

It's a Bugs Life

2009-04-24T12:59:00.003+12:00

Shoes and Socks

2009-04-24T12:55:00.003+12:00

I do love Mary Jane's and handknitted socks. Makes me think of Amelie.

Can you put these on the blog Mum?

2009-04-24T12:45:00.002+12:00

Why, but of course I can put these on the blog!

Awwww

2009-04-24T12:42:00.002+12:00

When the Cat's Away

2009-04-24T12:08:00.005+12:00

What does everyone do when mummy's swanning around the Capital with her mind-twin?

They make crazy straws, and "the cross that Jesus died on" and rumble on the couch.

Monet Masterpieces

2009-04-24T11:49:00.003+12:00

I hve always loved fine art and studied art history at university. I want the children to grow up with an appreciation of art and artists. Periodically we create our own copies of famous artworks following the model of art students in times past.

Animalia

2009-04-24T11:31:00.004+12:00

E2 has a complete adoration of anything that moves or moos. Take one sunshiny summer day, four eager kiddoes and begrudgingly include some overpriced animal feed and voila...a fun day had by all.

Still here

2009-04-15T11:44:00.002+12:00

I'm still here.

Life is busy and hectic asusual. Kids are great, J is great, I'm getting there.

Notables of late:
Winter vege garden is in, hoping it's even half as prolific as the summer one.
Kids are checking monarch caterpillars every day for chrysalis, swan plants are almost stripped bare, hope they turn before the frosts come.
Spent a fabbo four days in Welly with one of my besties...cafes, craft stores, Monet exhibition, cafes and no kiddoes.
Homeschool hols right now, gearing up for the winter hunker down, sorting out the craft boxes, making the winter novel pile, double lining the curtains and piling up the firewood.

Quote of the day

Everyday your children need:
Someone or something to love
Something to do
Something to think about
-Karen Andreola.

Simple huh? Sounds likem y kind of educational philosophy.

Playdough Cookies

2009-03-09T10:51:00.004+13:00

Fun to make, and fun to eat. Just don't think about all of that artificial food colouring

Linkity-link here

Satisfaction

2009-03-09T10:44:00.006+13:00

Satisfaction is cooking up a summer meal where 90% of the ingredients are freshly picked by the children, from our very own garden, that we have lovingly tended...ahem...let grow wild and hacked through to find the bounty.

Voila...pumpkin, courgette and garlice stuffed capsicums with rice and vine ripened tomatoes.

The only "imported" ingredients being the cheese and the rice.

Taranaki Dreaming

2009-03-09T10:35:00.004+13:00

We have had such a wonderful time over the summer holidaying with the cuzzies from Chicago. It was really sad to say Goodbye last week knowing that it is unlikely we will see each other agin for a couple of years. The kids all got on so well with hardly a niggle, the sil's talked and talked about books and politics and philosophy and everything really while the brothers reminded each other of all of the quirks and memories of growing up together.

We all travelled to New Plymouth for a week away together. Auntie B has all of the best pics on her camera...disc please B! But here are a few little reminders of a special holiday.

Narrow Gauge Train at Pioneer Village - Stratford

Brooklyn Park Zoo

Pioneer Village Fire Station
Pumping Water
It's school, kids...but not as we know it!

Say Cheese!

2009-03-09T10:34:00.001+13:00

Claymation

2009-03-09T10:29:00.002+13:00

Now that we are almost out of nappies we have also graduated from Playdough to Plasticine clay. I am looking forward to the day that I let everyone loose on real clay. It is so therapeutic to mould and knead and create...and it gives mummy a wee bit of quiet internet time too.

P.S. Can you spot some our favourite movie characters?

Slimy Science

2009-03-09T10:21:00.003+13:00

As dictated by O7...

Yesterday I wanted to do some science experiments. I made a volcano. I had to put vinegar and baking soda and tomato sauce in the volcano. When all of that was put in, it erupted.

I made a floating eyeball. I drew an eyeball on afresh egg. I dropped it into a jam jar of water, stirred salt in it and the eyeball began to float.

I made a magic icecube. I laid some sewing thread on the top of the ice cube, carefully put slat on the top, wiated for about 30 seconds and then I pulled the sewing thread and the cube came too. The salt made the sewing thread stick to the cube by melting the ice a little bit.

Happy Birthday O7

2009-01-11T21:40:00.004+13:00

Today you officially exited from the little cute boy stage into the gangly, handsome, getting a bit hesitant of too many cuddles stage.

We love you so very much O7. You are such a cool kid. We love your quirky sense of hunour, your amazing insights and knowledge, your growing empathy and concern for others and your awesomest jokes.

Grow strong and steadfast O.

Blogtastic

2009-01-11T21:23:00.006+13:00

O7's teddy Snowflake had a birthday party
J grew a decidedly dodgy Mo for Movember

We took a walk through the Wetlands

E2 got his hands on a water gun and has been happy as a pig in muck ever since

Time for a quick update on the last month.
Whangamata with family...Christmas...back to work...busy....busy....hanging with family...cousins playing for hours...more work...my big boy turned 7...babies all growing up :(

Snapped

2008-12-18T22:23:00.001+13:00

Delectable Designs

2008-11-24T08:50:00.003+13:00

I have discovered the pleasure of knitting dress bodices and then whipping up a simple gathered skirt to make A4's summer wardrobe. The pleasure of knitting, but oh so quick and the chance to use yummy fabric without having the spectre of failed pattern piecing looming over one's head.

Bodice is called Summerlin and shrug is Jane Austen Shrug
Ginger Blossom skirt with stella bamboo in lemon/lime and cleakheaton bamboo in aqua for the bodice and shrug.

Bodice in teal cotton and skirt from $2 rack at Spotlight

Bodice is chocolate brown cotton Pride and Prejudice from Mason Dixon Knitting Off the Edge and skirt is more $2 fabric from Spotlight.

Oobleck

2008-11-14T16:02:00.002+13:00

How can you not want to try making something with such a groovy name.

We got the idea from unpluggedkids.

We made a huge mess.

We pretended to be scientists discovering this weird substance.

We discussed how it is a liquid and a solid.

We talked about Issac Newton.

We still haven't cleaned the picnic table two hours later.

Snapshots of our days

2008-11-14T15:51:00.004+13:00

In the last couple of weeks...

We have made another vege bed. This one has beetroot, onions, meslun and tonatoes in the kids boxes, zucchinin, and runner beans on the fence, plus the apple tree is getting some leaves.

E2 has dug holes in all of the garden beds with his trusty tonka diggers.

We have collected hail from the front lawn.

Mr E2 has started wearies undies every day...Thomas undies even.All four have enjoyed amateur dramatics with impromptu puppet theatre.

Hiatus

2008-10-29T20:53:00.001+13:00

Having a wee break to catch my breath.

Life is super busy here and won't let up until well into the new year.

New vegie garden just put in though, so all is well with the world!

Geography

2008-10-17T12:58:00.002+13:00

Take one tablecloth map of the world, a whole heap of postcards and two inquisitive boys...and you end up with a fun geography lesson.

O6 and C3 found India, Egypt and Cyprus with ease. Mummy helped with Great Britain and the Shetland Islands. We used the atlas to pinpoint the exact location of Aruba.

Why We Love Grandparents #1

2008-10-11T19:58:00.003+13:00

Paparazzi

2008-10-07T09:40:00.002+13:00

We dug out the old digicamera (well mum's actually...sorry we have had it sooooo long mum!). O6 has claimed it as his own and is happily snapping and videoing the goings on of our days.

He has leanrt not to snap pics of me in my undies, how to delete said pics of me, upload respectable pics and store in his own folder.

Here's a selection...

One Down.....many to go

2008-10-06T09:42:00.004+13:00

We have finally finished one room of our interior renovation.

In the dining room we have...

stripped ghastly shiny wallpaper, painted walls warm cream, replaced mustard brown curtains with fresh cream ones, ripped up skanky old carpet and red and grey checkered linoleum tiles, had the floors polished, replaced dirty, stained green velour dining chair covers with bright red vinyl.

From this...

To this....

Socialised

2008-09-29T16:52:00.004+13:00

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

2008-09-25T13:23:00.003+12:00

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

2008-09-25T13:22:00.002+12:00

Spring Fever

2008-09-25T13:09:00.003+12:00

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

2008-09-24T14:33:00.000+12:00

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

2008-09-23T19:31:00.001+12:00

The Tyger

2008-09-16T19:14:00.002+12:00

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)

2008-09-16T19:05:00.003+12:00

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

2008-09-16T18:55:00.002+12:00

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...

2008-09-01T16:52:00.002+12:00

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!

2008-09-01T16:44:00.003+12:00

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.

I heart the Sallies

2008-08-03T21:32:00.003+12:00

So...one day i decide I want to learn to spin wool, y'know how 'tis.

I was inspired by my lovely friend Lou.

Months later I acquired some unspun, carded wool via the lovely J from the Sallies near her place.

A couple of months further on I found The Ashford Book of Spinning at another Sallies shop.

Just this last week, on our anniversary getaway, I dragged poor J into the Sallies at our holiday spot and Eureka...the elusive spinning wheel.

Unspun fleece $9

How to Book $4

Spinning Wheel in perfect working order $50

Completely cementing my Nana status ...priceless.

Engineering/Transport Planning/Construction

2008-08-03T21:23:00.002+12:00

C3-almost-4 made this huge Thomas traintrack today all on his lonesome, with no fussing or throwing things around in frustration. He then set about chasing Thomas with the naughty diesel, narrating the events as they occured. He even let the E2-in-7-days in on the action (add interpersonal skills and negotiation to the list).

Again I marvel at the naturalness (is that even a word?) of learning. I could write an assessment of all of the learning that went on in this play...but we all know that learning is not about ticking little boxes and meeting arbitrary achievement objectives.

Flood Fun

2008-08-03T19:09:00.002+12:00

All this rain caused a lake in the lower paddock at the Grandparents.

The kids had a ball splashing about.

Quite Contrary

2008-07-25T14:47:00.003+12:00

Yep...that's how my garden is growing right now.

The winter veges are on a super go slow. So far we have been living off spinach and silverbeet, but even they have slowed right down to a new leaf every now and then. Pak Choy has been a winner, well the ones that I bought as seedlings from the garden centre. All of my lovingly tended grown from seed brassicas are still teeny, weeny, but they are hanging on.

In the garden now...

Veges
Leeks, teeny
Brocolli, five with little heads growing and more still coming along.
Peas, flowering but I'm not expecting to see any fruit.
Carrots, teeny...and I have accidently weeded quite a few
Red cabbage, no sign of any heads yet
Kale, has disappeared, very strange
Brussel Sprouts, a couple of teeny plants grown from seed that may or may not come away, still hopeful.
Silverbeet, ordinary and rainbow varieties- enough to harvest for dinner most nights, but not flourishing.
Spinach, success. I plan to increase the number of plants as it grows so well, kids and I love it, J tolerates it.
New Zealand Spinach, starting to settle in.
Garlic, sprouted almost overnight
Shallots, ditto garlic

Herbs
Parsley
Lemonthyme
Sage, looking a bit worse for wear
Chamomile
Rosemary, groundcover, flowering and very pretty

Fruit
Cranberries, newly planted, trying different spots and when I find a good one will buy more plants
Meyer lemon, holding in there through the frosts, planted a month or so agao
Tahitian Lime, ditto lemon tree
Strawberries, bare crowns now have first leaves, only seven plants, hopefully will flourish and I can divide for next season

To do List for August
Frame up and fill raised beds around greenhouse - lavendar and chamomile bushes
Frame up raised bed on North side of house, start building up for summer planting around existing planter boxes.
Move camellia and put in apple tree to espalier on fence - still decidng on variety
Put in three-five feijoa trees to grow as a screeinign hedge on NorthEast fence.
Dig out dead and old trees on driveway garden and ponder what to plant instead.

I am also very excited because my wonderful mum gave me a subscription to NZ Gardener for my birthday. Thanks mum!

10 years on

2008-07-25T14:32:00.002+12:00

Dear J,
Today is our 10th wedding anniversary. What a wonderful journey it has been together so far.

We have travelled to four continents together. You didn't get angry when I piked out of visitng Tijuana. You came to a lyriad of museums and art galleries with me even though you were bored silly. We walked up the Eiffel tower cos it was cheaper and took a 1 pound flight from Amsterdam to London. We rode rollercoasters, and you threw up. We walked and talked and laughed and made memories.

We have made four amazingly beautiful kiddoes together...despite us, they are truly gorgeously spunky. You are the most wonderful daddy. You keep us all sane. You willingly change hideously foul nappies You let me have weekends off and keep the washing up todate while I'm gone. You make wooden models with our sons...and daughter. You persevere in affection with Miss A even when she screams at you to go away. You have done many, many night shifts while I have stayed asleep and warm in bed. You didn't leave when I went psycho after the twins were born.

We have moved from a place of security and comfort to a new town and life together , and it has been such a wonderful move for us. We have both faced challenges and stresses, but I am glad to have taken the risk and make this step of faith. You let me buy a little old rundown character house and never roll your eyes (in my presence anyaway) when I greet you after you get home from work with another list of jobs for you to do around the house.

We have tolerated each others annoying habits and quirks. You are much more patient than I am in this area. At least when I am knitting I can't slurp on my fingers eh?

We truly enjoy being together... when we get the chance to just be! I am so looking forward to our little retreat next week, sleeping in, being able to hold your hand rather than two little kids for a couple of days, talking about other stuff beside who threw what tantrum and who learned which new or naughty word.

I love you...more.
K
xx

At the Library, the library...

2008-07-21T19:26:00.002+12:00

there are lots of books from A to Z.

Everytime we go to the library we sing this song courtesy of Richard Scarry on DVD.

Today was an extra special library day because J was home and so we all went together. Extra special because I was actually able to get some books out for myself at leisure. Usually I spend most of the time corraling E23 months and shushing A and C.

My bounty of books today:

Keep Chickens - Barbara Kilarski Preparation for self sufficiency step two...got the vege garden, next the chickadees.
The Chook Book - Jackie French ditto above
The Homeschooling Handbook - Mary Griffith Looks a bit American and schooly, but we'll see.
Sweet Honey, Bitter Lemons - Travels in Sicily on a Vespa - Matthew Fort Travel and history with lots of italian slow food recipes thrown in...bellissimo!
The Therapeutic Garden - Donald Norfolk "The history of horticulutre and the ancient wisdom of the poets and philosophers."
Cow Parade New York - This one I got so the kids and I can peruse the (family friendly) bovines and then have a go at decorating out own cows...starting with black outlines on paper and ending up with papier mache models.
Softies - Therese Laskey I have had this on my Amazon wishlist forever, so grabbed it when I spied it on the library shelf. Now I can grab the good ideas without spending my $$$.
So Simple Slipcovers - Gail Abbott I want to try and slipcover my lounge suite without it looking like something from a student flat.

Marshmallow Models

2008-07-21T19:19:00.002+12:00

We made marshmallow creatures.

Can you guess what they are?

And how long it took us to gobble them up?

Fragile

2008-07-13T00:23:00.002+12:00

Life is fragile
Everybody breaks so easily
Life is fragile
No one is immune

In the long run
Everyone must take their turn
With this lesson we don't wanna take
But we all have to learn

And I'll stay here with you
Knowing that Jesus is here to carry us through
And all through the night
I'll stay by your side
Until the morning appears
And the sun and moon collide
He'll carry us through

Lyrics by Phil Joel

My heart has been heavy over the last couple of weeks.

A precious little boy who I was privileged to meet as a wee babe in Starship two years ago succumbed to cancer and died in his mother's arms.

A 6 year old classmate of a friend's daughter died suddenly and unexpectedly two days ago.

I have ben holding my babies close as I consider the terrible grief and pain that these and many families go through upon losing a child.

Life is fragile.

Winter Days

2008-07-07T09:04:00.002+12:00

Brrrrr!

C3 is convinced winter hasn't arrived yet because we haven't seen snow. We plan to take a drive to the snow sometime over the next few weeks. Although if we had gone yesterday we could have saved some petrol as it was only half an hour away.

We have been filling our time with lots of drawing, modelling, Fraggle Rock watching and when the frost melts after lunch, gardening.

The children made a "tree garden' with "safari sunset" fronds from a leucadendrum (sp??) we dug out of the garden. They are very happy with a patch of bare dirt to drive the diggers through, "plant" random things and dig up earthworms.

Once this cold snap is past we will be busy int eh glasshouse sowing seed and preparing for the spring planting... cos Spring is just around the corner dont'cha know?

Geography

2008-06-27T13:14:00.003+12:00

I am a girly swot like many of my online friends...and I loved learning facts such as capitals of countries and highest waterfalls at school.

O6(and a half) is discovering the joys of geography. We have been playing The amazing Moa Hunt...and O6 often beats us, he even knows where Gore is!

O6 and I made a world map jigsaw puzzle again two days ago and spent ages looking for interesting places. O throught Christmas Island and the Sandwich Islands sounded pretty cool.

Our table cloth at the moment is a modified pvc shower curtain map of the world and at the Breakfast table O6 is very patient at explaining again and again to A3 and C3 that countries with other countries joining them are NOT islands, but that WE live on an island.

I have been reflecting again on just how organic learning is...provide the right environment and children (and adults) will learn, learn, learn.

You asked for it.

2008-06-06T12:36:00.003+12:00

I have just begun a project that is right up my alley. I am part of a small team who are charged with improving the EOTC opportunities at my husband's work. It is a large camp that runs many different activities and camps, many of which are school camps. Myself and another teacher on staff are working to maximise the experieneces that are available for school groups in the EOTC area. We've just begun, but I am excited, I can do almost all of the work from hom via email/internet and phone and will have a one hour meeting each week for progress reports etc.

In an ideal world I would not have to work for pay at all, but with the current economic situation, world events and peak oil closing in, and the price of a pound of butter at $4... a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do. I'm thankful that I can be involved in something worthwhile, enjoyable and that fits around my family really well....and it is not minimum wage!

Hi!

2008-06-05T18:42:00.002+12:00

Just popping in , we are still here...been lying low for a week with winter ails...nothing major just EVERYONE at once.

What's been happening?
C3 is awaiting bloodtest results for gluten allergy...if it is that it'll be a major PITA and also a relief to know how to help him not be sore all the time...cos his constant wailing is doing my head in
House renovations on a seemingly endless go slow due to sickies and consequently mummy flaking out in bed/in front of the telly once all are snuggled up in bed...doing my head in
First week for moi in paid part time employment ( from home even) 5 hours- not bad considering the abovementioned sickies...yaaay!
Conquered the overlocker threading and sewed up merino skivvies for the rapscallions...just need to hem them, or not bother and call them "trendy" with the overlocked edge showing...yaaay!
Been flicking between Jekyll and Hyde mummy today...yelled at C3, threw paper at O6 (yeah I know I am not 3) and threatened A3 (with what I can't recall)...but I also took everyone for a walk (with scooters and bikes even), sat at the table for ages drawing, cutting, pasting and so on and gave out iceblocks for dessert...I'm doing my own head in...how's that for ya?

All in all, pretty standard motherly kinda stuff going on in my world...what about yours?

What A Difference A Day Makes

2008-05-29T10:05:00.002+12:00

Yesterday I was up and energised and had one of those wonderful days when lots gets done and noone falls by the wayside...probably helped that A3 and C3 were out for most of the day at Preschool eh?

I got 3 loads of washing out and in, weeded one of my garden beds, made some more progress on the sanding and painting in the laundry/kitchen, played board games with O6, read books with E21 months, made homemade vege pizza with A3 and even made a fire that took straight away.

However this morning I am on the go slow...it is chilly, but beautifully sunny outisde, C3 ended up in our bed all night with a temperature and a scratchy cough so I am bleary eyed, the kids are watching dvd's in the lounge with the fire on and it is only 10am!

About to push aside my funk...rug up the kiddlies with woolly socks and gumboots and go for a walk in the sunshine and then back home to bake some feijoa and coconut cake...or maybe Katie's Feijoa and chocolate cake. ..cos we got some of the last feijoas too.

Gettin' Up Close and Personal

2008-05-25T22:32:00.002+12:00

A3 is our bug girl.

She is scared of dogs and terrified of cats...but spiders pfffft!

Random Thoughts

2008-05-24T20:51:00.002+12:00

Long time...no blog...been doing lots of thinking and lots of living...and finally walking straight again...no more labyrinthitis!

Been reading too...
Finally caught up with the cool kids and read Rob Bell's Velvet Elvis...so much to read aloud to J that I ended up just giving him the entire book.
Read, enjopyed and passed Michael Pollan's The Omnivore's Dilemma to my Dad to peruse and tracked down In Defence of Food at the local library...just starting that one.
Read the latest NZ Gardener mag from cover to cover...must actually subscribe!

Decided to take a leaf out of Sandra's book (or blog!) and try and get into my garden every day...even for a few minutes. This week I have weeded the front flower gardens and the whole vege patch (which aint that much...yet), supervised the installation of my new to me glasshouse giufted by my lovely brother, discovered we have orchids sitting next to the house still in a polybag, dug out more of the never ending oxalis, rescued countless brassicas from E21months attempts to help me weed and deadheaded the one lonely rosebush of its one lonely wilted rose.

Spent more time contemplating just what is truly necessary or will drive me absolutely batty if it doesn't get done on the house renovation. My list of wants is getting pared down very quickly as I consider the rising costs of day to day living and the ever decreaing $$$ in the savings account.

We are getting the floors polished, have bought two panel heaters for the kids room and for the dining room for the depths of winter, and have purchased paint to do most of the interior...oh the joys of stripping back five layers of old paint!

We will have to reline the shower cubicle and replace the bathroom vanity...but I am keeping the old bath and the old loo cos the are both in pretty good nick and reusing all of the old tapware cos it works great and reminds me of staying at my Oma's as a kid.

J and I have decided to cut back on TV and only turn it on for those shows we really can't live without...y'know like Project Runway and ANTM for me...Boston Legal and Top Gear for both of us and the occasional Sports News for J. Already feeling more refreshed and getting other stuff done...like scraping off old paint!

I have been trying to spend more time one on one with each of the kiddoes...I have played computer Battleships with O, glued and coloured with A, listened to C's imaginary stories and played Thomas Trains with E. I am not naturally a very playful mummy...but I want to build relationship with each of them. Pondering what it means to truly be involved in their lives. Ditto Sharon-my mind twin...even read The Creative Family last month too!

Okay...now my brain is tired...off to read the papaer and then curl up in bed with Michael Pollan and my hot water bottle...well actually, my electric blanket...having a hard time giving it up when the weather turns cooler.

Labyrinthitis

2008-05-05T12:56:00.002+12:00

As much as I wish my post title meant I had been reliving my youth by watching loads of old movies with David Bowie as the Goblin King...alas it is not so.

Instead I have been battling with an inner ear infection for the last week. I do like the name though...Labyrinthitis sounds so much more exciting than inner ear infection.

I thought I had come down with gastro/rotavirus when I started puking and couldn't get out of bed for almost four days...but it is likely that it was all down to the pesky virus making my inner ear munted!

I can now get up and about but feel like I have been on a boat for a month or have had too many wines. The room is spinning and swaying constantly and I cannot concentrate on anything for very long.

Blessing number one is that fortunately I hardly ever get sick, so when I do I get to make the most of my wonderful hubby's concern...and the kids revel in watching almost unlimited dvd's while mummy has another nap.

Blessing number two is that I am not preggie...the first few days felt suspiciously familiar...now that would have thrown a spanner in the works!

Blessing number three...due to being basically unable to eat much for a week I have finally got back to my goal weight...now to keep it off once the hunger kicks back in. I am even comfortably wearing the size ten jeans I had given up for lost.

Hopefully I'llbe back to normal soon...as we have a winter of renovation preparation to do, then a spring of painting and polishing...then a summer of relaxing in our freshly updated home.

Autumn Leaves

2008-04-23T16:27:00.003+12:00

When out walking we had much fun crunching the first of the autumn leaves.

We collected fallen acorns and their caps.

At the greengrocer's (love that word!) we bought a tiny wee little squash.

We got out oil pastels and black card and created autumn leaves to tape to the window.

Country Girls

2008-04-21T16:14:00.003+12:00

Eat your heart out Nellie Oleson. These country girls have style and class.

I splurged and ordered the country doll kit from Alicia. Four of the girls are nestled next to the kids sewing and knitting baskets out of reach of little sticky fingers.

There is one more little sweetie who is just waiting for the finishing touches on her apron.

Anybody care to take a guess as to their names?

Hint #1 Little redhead should be easy for those who know my family ;)

Hint #2 A city girl who makes an alpine friend.

Hint #3 She's not so plain and ended up mistress of the manor.

Hint #4 Aqua girl is loverly.

Quotable

2008-04-21T16:05:00.002+12:00

"Charlotte is a spider and Laura's doll"

C3's random comment while we were reading neither of the abovementioned novels on the couch today.

Choccy fish for correct ID of the novels...and while I'm at it I MIGHT remember to finally send the choccy fish for Kate and Sharon from last year!

Garden Diary #1

2008-04-20T18:45:00.006+12:00

The sun was shining, the air was clear.
We spent the day in the yard. A very productive day was had by all:

J and O6 concreted in the fenceposts for our "Keep E20 months from escaping" fence.

All four kiddoes grabbed their kid sized gardening tools and helped dig/weed/ transplant etc.

I decided that the flower garden really was getting past its prime...dug out the summer annuals and dug in the winter colour.

O6 and J found all manner of weird and wonderful bugs/larvae and other slimy things hidden in the freshly tilled soil and pondered together whether the white grub was an earwig larvae or some kind of insect queen.

We walked to our local garden centre...500 metres down the road, got the third batch of winter vegeseedlings to plant out, identified that yes indeed the flower gardens were full of self seeded Calendula and that the huge glossy fronds under the neighbours rimu trees were not weeds and could be rightly considered an ornamental plant....and began to make decisions about the fruit tree plantathon happening next weekend.

So far we have decided upon:
Feijoas- 3 different varieties which will double as a hedge to screen the neighbour's driveway.
A range of berries- and over winter we will design and build a netting thingymabob to cover them when they start fruiting.
Lemon, lime and mandarin trees.
An Apple tree which I am going to attempt to espalier on the fence.
I would like to put in some olive trees and a plum tree
J really wants a nashi tree also.

Lavender (already planted) with random leftover brassicas filling the gaps until the lavender grow. I resisted buying a cushioned kneeler pad and found a cardboard box works just fine.
My herb/salad garden with flourishing rosemary, thyme, sage, parsley and perpetual spinach, getting there mesclun (under the netting at the end) and barely-hanging-on-cos-it-has-been-ripped-out-by-the-E-monster-numerous-times basil. New plantings to fill gaps of Pak Choi, and silverbeet.
The square foot garden with established silverbeet, small broad beans growing, carrots just beginning to show, last minute hopeful peas and some grimly determined brassicas that I grew from seed and planted out a bit too early. New plantings of bigger brassicas to fill the gap until the seeded ones take off, more silverbeet and New Zealand spinach.
Flower grden at the front of the house. Calendula which self-seeded, transplanted to one area by the step. New plantings of violas, primula and polyanthus for winter colour.
The leftover patch... J dug out a very sad looking carpet rose and I dug over the empty spot and threw in all of the leftover brassicas to fill the space that I am still deciding what to plant out with permanently.

Now if only gardening were a once every few months all out endeavur rather than a daily tending and nurturing I'd be set. I can do the gung-ho get it all planted bit great...still working on the ins and outs!

P.S. If anyone has an organic, no dig way of getting rid of every kind of broad leaf oxalis you can think of pleeeeaaaase let me in on the secret!

Are You Being Served?

2008-04-17T00:33:00.002+12:00

Grab some play money, a few Op Shop baskets and lots of random toys and books artfully displayed...and voila you have O6's wonderful store.

J got the bargain of the century when O6 sold him C3 and E20 months for $5 the pair.

I thought I was doing well when I got $100 change on my $50 purchase!

Balloons Over Waikato

2008-04-11T09:16:00.003+12:00

We didn't brave the chilly Autumn air to go down the road at 6 am to see the Balloons...but we did watch out of the windows and don slippers and go out on the porch to watch the Balloons sail past on their adventures.

The kids loved the Pirate Balloon best of course.

O6 taught the Science lesson for the day by informing the littlies that the fire makes the air in the ballooon hotter, and hot air rises so the balloon goes up. When they turn the fire down the air gets colder and the balloon floats downwards. I chimed in with the info that when Hot Air Balloons were invented some of the first apassengers were a chicken and a dog ( I think!)...but Mummy is not so interesting a teacher as O6...so I quickly stopped trying to "make everything a teachable situation" and left O6 to it.

Eeeking Out the Last Days of Summer

2008-04-11T08:40:00.005+12:00

For the third year running I have spent an entire day getting grumpy and frazzled packing the whanau up for a holiday at the beach. Once the gear and kids are squeezed ino the car, the trailer is filled to the brim and the house is sparkly clean (cos you can't come back to a messy house!) I relax and let J drive!

We met up with our fave family at our fave beach, Whangamata for five days of beach bliss

What...you don't think 8 kids under 6 is bliss?

Highlights...

*Having my first ocean swim in about 5 years...loved it...forgot how much I love it...bobbing out past the breakers!

*Five kiddoes bunking in together and (mostly) settling off to sleep without any nonsense!

*Catching up with good friends and old friends.

*Going out with the girls for dessert and forgetting to pay, feeling very happy when the restauarant was surprised we came back to confess and pay up!

*Talking with J in the car to and from.

*O having a go at riding his bike with no trainer wheels.

*A riding her bike all the way to the dairy and back ( with trainers ;) )

Pics...

Hibernation Preparation

2008-04-05T13:22:00.002+13:00

We have just returned from a lazy holiday at the beach (pics to come later). I even went for a swim in the ocean...delicious.

This morning I awoke to the distinct chill of autumn and spurred on by online friends discussing winter preparations I have formulated the Big Chill list.

* Complete the winter knitting - 2 pairs of socks for O6, vests for A3 and C3, beanie for moi, scarf for O6, sweater for moi.

*Sew up merino skivvies and long johns for the family.

*Make polar fleece dressing gowns for the kiddoes.

*Draught stop the windows with draught stop window stuff.

*Make draught stoppers for the back and front doors.

*Source firewood - Dad and J's work first, then buy if necessary

*Apply for energywise subsidy for further insulation for the oh so cute, but rather old and draughty cottage.

*Plant out the remainder of the winter vege garden, and plant cover crops for the empty spaces.

*Give the ornamental gardens a good prune and plant bulbs for the spring.

*Replace the old cotton curtains in our room with thermal backed drapes.

*Stock up the craft boxes, make a sewing basket and organise the spare room for indoor activities.

*Sort out the read-aloud booklist, essential winter viewing and audio books.

*Stock up on hot chocolate and marshmallows.

*Make a huge pot of pumpkin soup with the pumpkins we have been gifted and freeze in family sized portions.

Just Breathe...I can do it!

2008-04-05T13:14:00.002+13:00

Last month my challenge to myself was to stay away from the supermarket. I did pretty well...only went once when we had guests over and once or twice to grab milk and rolled oats.

This month I am going to give it my best with the buy nothing challenge.

Okay...I admit that yesterday I did buy TWO glossy mags, but in my defence I didn't see this challenege until this morning...so from today until the end of the month...no unnecessary purchases.

That means...

No new clothes

No new gadgets

No new furniture or housewares

No salon services

No makeup

No tools

No whatever the hell else people buy

If you must absolutely acquire something non-edible or not essential to growing your own food or for your survival, then you must borrow, barter, or buy it used. If you end up buying something new that is non-essential, I'll be hosting a weekly Sunday Confessional for you to justify your purchase. So, just think about having to confess to the world what you couldn't hold off on buying.

Wanna join me?

I am also continuing my NO plastic bags into the house challenege...my other half even remembered the other day...what a guy!

Prairie Girl

2008-03-07T15:24:00.006+13:00

About the only positive to come out of delousing my children was A3 allowing me, for the first time ever to do her hair. Here she is looking oh so grown up with plaits a la Laura Ingalls or Pippi Longstocking.

It is just as well that I took a pic or two because she won't let me near her hair again!

Come on, Let's Get the Party Started

2008-03-07T14:32:00.002+13:00

It's time for the blog party!

Click on the link below to join the party, and post your comment after visiting.

I'm Karen, sometime blogger, full time kid wrangler and hubby hassler. I have four amazing children. O6 is my fount of all knowledge, quirky, loving policeman. A3 is my sweet, fiery, opinionated princess. C3 is my cuddly, snuggly, sensitive teddy bear boy. E18 months is our bubba, doted on, rascally and altogether cute kid.

We live in a small farming town in New Zealand. We moved here from the City 6 months ago and love it.

I am usually kept busy reading Richard Scarry or Where the Wild Things Are, discussing Ziggurats and Constellations or racing down the driveway to catch an adventurous toddler.

Otherwise I can be found spending too much time online, knitting, catching up with friends over herbal tea, valiantly attempting sourdough bread hoping that just once it'll be edible rather than brick, and renovating our 1920's cottage with 60's extension.

Take a wander through our lives and leave a link to yours.
Karen
x

Horticulture

2008-02-19T21:58:00.002+13:00

O6 and I planted some lavender in a small section of our garden. We worked together, talking about why we need to dig a deep hole, water with plant food before planting and carefully press down the soil around the base of the plant. O has his own wheelbarrow and gardening tools. He is excited about his own vege garden and we are planning it together.

As we work we talk about plants, pollination, weeds, watering, harvesting, sunlight, frost and all sorts of other relevant things.

Not a worksheet in sight.

One of the things I love about Home Ed is the way real life and education are one and the same.

Cutie Cottage

2008-02-19T21:54:00.002+13:00

Our new house...bigger than it appears...front and back and my first DIY project...removing 40 year old wallpaper from the hardwood walls in the hallway...aaaargh!

Beach Bliss

2008-02-15T00:15:00.004+13:00

Venturing East we passed any number of sparkly inviting beaches.

Confused children kept asking," Is THIS the beach we are going to?"

Toilet stops at the big Kiwifruit

2 hours later..it was worth the drive...over the hill

Caught up with friends from afar.

Warm water, jumping in the waves, splashing in the shallows.

Memories of teenage years past.

And to top it all off...20,000 books for sale...on somebody's front lawn...perfect!

Fabulous day at Ohope Beach...why do we live inland??

O6-and a month

2008-02-15T00:00:00.003+13:00

Gorgeous O at 2 days old

January was crazy...but that is no excuse to neglect to blog your firstborn's birthday.

We love everything about you O...you are our thinker, our wonderer, our too-fast growing upper, our special boy who surprises us every day!

We pray for you every day that you would grow to become a man who loves God, who loves people and who makes a difference. We pray that you would always love life, continue to be amazed at the beauty of God's creation and always seek after truth.

Look at you now!

Nature's Bounty

2008-01-12T20:01:00.000+13:00

Waaay back in October the kids germinated two bean seeds each on the windowsill. We planted them out into a bean den, and watched and waited for the first shoots to appear, then almost overnight we were surrounded by Beanstalks reaching up into the clouds.

Fe-fi-fo-fum!

One of the benefits of getting the kids growing their own veges is they seem much more inclined to eat them. Every couple of days we harvest a pile of huge, yet surprisingly tender beans. They are gobbled up still warm off the vine...and I have to hide the rest or they all disappear before I can get them into a pot for dinner.

Since we are moving in a few weeks to our new, own home where I can plan a lovely big square foot garden...I have begun to harvest the potatoes while they are small, new and tender. I have never bothered with potatoes before cos they are relatively inexpensive, but there is something very satisfying in digging for spuds...I will defintely make a potato plot a feature in future gardens!

I LOVE the rainbow swiss chard (sounds so much more gourmet than silverbeet eh?) and am harvesting the last of a huge crop that grew surprisingly well from a pack of half dead neglected seedlings. I plan to make this a part of my decorative mixed garden at our new home. It is just so pretty with the red and orange stems.

Spotzilla

2008-01-10T15:31:00.000+13:00

My baby has the Pox! Poor little guy, he even has them in his mouth! He is still supercute though. Get better soon my lovely xx

Oooo, aaargh! Pirates Me Hearty!

2008-01-10T15:20:00.000+13:00

We have spent the last two weeks busy at Family Camps at Totara Springs. Unlike some of my friends we get totally into the Pirate thing in our house...well, apart from all of the bloodthirstyness, marauding, murder and mayhem...so hmmm...the Jack Sparrow version really!

It really was a great time. J and I oragnised the 3-4 year olds for an hour each morning, O-almost 6 overcame some of his fear of water in the pool, A3 and C3 played Playdoh, ran around and got used to large crowds and bubba took his first forays into independence at the creche each morning...where he spent much of his time cuddled on knees and scoffing biscuits.

Belated Christmas Pics

2008-01-10T15:05:00.000+13:00

Here are a few pics of the kiddoes enjoying various Christmas celebrations...family, fun and festivity! O-almost6 decorating at Oma and Opa's.
The Rascals decorating our tree...and I didn't even change it all to make it symmetrical and even afterwards. I AM getting so relaxed these days.
Beautiful Princess A3 at Grandma and Grandad's
E3 with Uncle D ripping into it at Grandma's
Beautiful weather, good company

We did the whole eat lots and unwrap a trillion pressies with the extended family in Auckland...twice! On Christmas morning we spent a morning together reading about the events that gave us Christmas and reflecting on God's wonderful gift to us in Jesus Christ before enjoying lunch with Opa and Oma.

Merry Belated Christmas!

Out of the Mouths....

2007-12-25T08:40:00.000+13:00

Conversation in the car after a long, fun day celebrating Christmas at Grandma's...

A3:(Giggle, snort, chuckle, grin)

Mummy: I love you A3

A3: (Giggle) I love you Mummy

Mummy: Do you love Daddy?

A3: Nooooo...I love MUMMY...Mummy a girl. Daddy not a girl like A3 and mummy. I no love Daddy.

A couple of minutes later...

A3: I love God

Mummy: God made you A3, eh?

A3: NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

Mummy: Yes, he did. God made you in Mummy's tummy.

A3: (In a very serious tone) Can I go back in your tummy now?

Mummy: No, you are too big.

A3: Can E1 go back in your tummy?

Mummy: No, you are all too big.

A3: Oh!

Handmade Christmas

2007-12-13T14:09:00.000+13:00

Every year I get organised in about August and plan out the Christmas baking and all of the gifts I am going to make. Most years I get to about now and realise that I am going to have to pull some late nights to get it all done.

Last year saw me frantically sewing up a pressie for my niece while J and the kiddoes waited in the idling car.

This year I am again doing the last minute rush...but it is not frantic...yet.

One quirky idea I saw online last week and justHAD to add to my list is this...

If you happen to be one of my siblings don't look further cos it'll spoil the surprise

Apologies to the original designer...for the life of me I can't remember where I saw these little guys. I shamelessly copied the idea, but the packaging and the reduced sticker were my finishing touches. Each pack has four little gingy's who have been mercilessly munched.

I hope they all get to live peacefully on Christmas trees from here on.

As If I Needed More Reasons To Love O5

2007-12-08T21:19:00.000+13:00

O5 is almost 6...he can't wait for his birthday...I think he is growing up too fast.

Snippets of O5-almost6...

While putting up the tree at Oma and Opa's...O5 was conversing with Aunty J...

"The best book in the world is the Bible, and the second best is

Little House on the Prairie"

When said tree was decorated O5 exclaimed, "This is just

BEA-U-TIFUL! Mummy and Daddy will have to come and look at it."

When asked which of the themed gardens he liked at the Hamilton Gardens, O5 didn't have to even stop to think about it...

"I loved the English Flower Garden. It is just so beautiful and colourful and it has fountains and it is like a maze."

" Mummy, can I live with you and Daddy forever?"

"Well, you can live with us until you marry a lovely lady."

"Okay, then she can come and live with us too."

O5, you bring a smile to my lips and joy to my heart so often.

I love how you are so earnest and matter of fact.

I love how you truly grasp that the Bible is a unique and precious book.

I love the way you get excited by beauty, how full of wonder you are.

I love that you still want ot live with me forever and ever and that you come and snuggle in my bed...when you can find room between your siblings!

You are such an amazing boy O. I am super proud of you every day.

Love

Mummy

Sinterklaasfeest

2007-12-02T21:40:00.000+13:00

We celebrated Sinterklaas today at the beauitful Hamilton Gardens. It was a new expeerience for the kiddoes and I. Oma and Opa came with us, and brought some special goodies...Taai-taai biscuits and Chocolate letters for each of us.

Eat your heart out Santa...this is the real deal.

Warm Fuzzies

2007-11-27T20:24:00.000+13:00

Every night J does the bedtime routine from pyjamas to bedtime stories. It is his special time with the kiddoes, one which they miss when he has to work late.

I love it too...it gives me a tingle and a smile when I walk past the door and see them all snuggled up together, or I hear the stories the children love read over and over night after night.

This is what memories are made of.

The Moment I Wake Up

2007-11-27T20:16:00.000+13:00

Here's to you...my fourth child... although you are bereft of fancy scrapbooks and a myriad of photos documenting your every smile, grimace or tear, there are times when I just have to grab the camera and capture your wonder.

We all adore you Bubba.

Linking to Laura

2007-11-16T21:09:00.000+13:00

Remember my friend Laura? We got together a month or so back and visited the gorgeous Hamilton Gardens. Of course I forgot the camera, but L didn't...check out her blog for wonderful pics of our wonderful day.

Linkitylink here

Trackstars

2007-11-16T13:30:00.000+13:00

Wednesday evening, straight after dinner has settled we all pop down the road to the little village of Waharoa for athletics countrystyle. This means bare feet, lots of totally gorgeous little Maori kids toddling along to their scary looking but totally devoted daddies and no starting pistols -this is vitally important when you have kids with auditory sensitivity like two of ours.

O-almost6 gets to try his hand at field activities. The volunteers are relaxed and kind, but endeavour to teach the kids how to perform the event with correct technique and rules. In between races O practices his skipping.

A3 and C3 have mini races of 20-30 metres and lots of time playing with balls and Ring a Rosie with their friend B.

Mummy even runs now and then to encourage A along the way...hmmm...maybe I should run a bit faster to get rid of that muffin roll!

Sugar free

2007-11-14T08:26:00.000+13:00

Just popping in to say that I am doing a sugar detox...prompted by the lovely Lou and explained by the hilarious Sarah.

I don't eat a lot of refined sugar anyway...but I am hoping to minimise my monthly mood swings so am experimenting with this til Xmas...where I will eat all of the sweet and tasty Xmas goodies, then feel hideous for the next few days, convinced of the worthiness of being sugar free and starting again.

Puppetry

2007-11-07T22:21:00.000+13:00

In an attempt to encourage imaginative play I started collecting the odd finger puppet for the kiddoes about two years back. Well, they languished in the corner of the cupboard until recently when the bag was rediscovered and everyone wanted to play puppets...problem was that everyone also wanted the very cool lion hand puppet that I made when I was ten and lovingly restored for my children a couple of months back.

So it was with great excitement on the kiddoes behalf and great relief on the referee's aka my part when Grandma and Grandad arrived back from their big trip with HAND PUPPETS.

great choice G and G!

Rumble in the Jungle

2007-11-07T22:16:00.000+13:00

I just close my eyes and walk away now...and eventually somebody comes crying...but in the meantime great fun is had by all.

(Apologies for the crappy pic quality...I can't be sure...but it was probably me taking them...she who can totally take blurry photos on a fully automatic camera)

Who Will Help Me Grind the Wheat?

2007-10-28T20:21:00.000+13:00

"Who will help me grind the wheat?"

"We will!" chorused the curious children, eager to play with mummy's new toy.

"Who will help me bake the bread?"

"We will!" chorused the hungry children who enjoy licking any kind of bowl, full or empty, savoury or sweet...or doughy.

"Who will help me eat the bread?"

"We will!" chorused the circling vultures...ooops I mean delightful children, who had been asking, "Is it ready yet?" the whole 24 hours the flour was soaking.

Our bread was delicious... we had to add in some storebought white flour as I forgot to adjust the recipe due to the ground wheat flour being soaked in water overnight and therefore very moist. It turned out slightly nutty and quite similar to Vogel's bread....mmmm. It sliced easily and toasted well for breakfast the following day also.

Sock it to Me!

2007-10-23T19:58:00.001+13:00

A month or so back I had lost the sock love and poor O5 had no socks...so a lovely friend whipped up a pair in his favourite colour and sent them to a very appreciative young boy.

I have found my sock groove again and in the last three weekshave completed three pair for moi for next winter, three pair for E14 months and 1.5 pair for A3...I am officially halfway to completing the whole family's socks for 2008...woot woot...oh the things that get me excited these days.

"So did you have a rockin' weekend Karen?"

"Why yes, I was up to 2am on Friday night/Sat morning."

"Clubbing? Singstar? Nookie with hubby?"

"Actually I just HAD to finish the socks I was knitting...y'know how it is."