tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-63209519075692105222024-03-05T07:50:19.232-08:00Chrysalis IslandThis is a blog about the home ed. adventures I have with Elijah, 13 and Jasmine, 12.
It's also a journal of my reflections on family, teaching, writing, faith and life.Butterflyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04696049648997719529noreply@blogger.comBlogger118125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6320951907569210522.post-63727434652324433522016-03-21T06:14:00.002-07:002016-03-21T14:44:54.938-07:00Nurturing myself with Faith, Writing & Art<div class="tr_bq">
Mentally and physically I was really struggling last week, and I needed to take time to nurture myself. I found comfort and refreshment in prayer and my Bible as well as the encouragement of friends. Once I felt a bit stronger I decided to relax and do some writing and art. </div>
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I made pleasing progress with sketching using "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/You-Can-Draw-30-Days/dp/0738212415?tag=viglink20618-20" target="_blank">You can draw in 30 days</a>" <br />
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Most days when I woke up I wrote in my morning pages journal or did Bible copywork.<br />
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This is a painting I started over a year ago, but I felt stuck for many months not knowing what to do next. Finally I asked a bunch of friends, who helped me decide that it is finished. This means I can let myself move on to my next painting project, a set of smaller canvases.<br />
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I ordered a stack of 'How to Write' books from an online bookshop ... not sure how much time I have for novel writing, nor which story I want to resume working on, but it's a harmless and inexpensive hobby and I'm going to give it time and space and see how I go.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCAfZgLM-JQQ8_RZhqqPZ6f3ErWY37w7ttKDX4zHbG1XahBTAXURztmQw51WXDlDDmChs8-i3u2Kyv1KQTLBTtocMHIueFnDuOapYZEFAT6UTBlcHua2ScppIVHqqJ77PJ2nPjdQ3RRCY/s1600/IMG_1454.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCAfZgLM-JQQ8_RZhqqPZ6f3ErWY37w7ttKDX4zHbG1XahBTAXURztmQw51WXDlDDmChs8-i3u2Kyv1KQTLBTtocMHIueFnDuOapYZEFAT6UTBlcHua2ScppIVHqqJ77PJ2nPjdQ3RRCY/s200/IMG_1454.jpg" width="200" /></a>In a real bookshop I bought a beautiful book about Australian trees, a quotes and colouring book for Jasmine and a book about Escher's work. I am always falling in love with particular trees, especially gum trees, and I hope this book will help me learn more of their names.<br />
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At the art shop I would have liked one of everything, but I resisted the temptation to buy too much. I found some sketching supplies and a new game, <a href="https://www.bookdepository.com/My-Big-Art-Show-Susie-Hodge/9780500650394" target="_blank">"My Big Art Show"</a>. We haven't played it yet, but I will let you know what we think once we have a go.<br />
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On my Facebook page <a href="https://www.facebook.com/glowheartmindandsoul/" target="_blank">GLOW</a> this week I shared an article about the <a href="http://www.sciencealert.com/10-workspaces-of-some-of-the-greatest-minds-in-science" target="_blank">workspaces of famous scientists</a>, which fuelled my desire for a dedicated <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/individualised/writers-spaces/" target="_blank">writer's space</a>. We have a lovely shared study at one end of the lounge room, but I do wish for a space which is just mine. I know that's selfish, when other people don't have a safe place to sleep. I spent some time overthinking this and many other things. <br />
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In the midst of my woes last week, I read this message from Lisa TerKeurst of Proverbs 31 Ministries:<br />
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<span style="color: #c27ba0;"><i>"</i></span><span style="color: #c27ba0;"><i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">Prayer does make a difference. A life-changing, mind-blowing, earth-rattling difference. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">So keep praying, sweet friend. The Lord is leaning in close to listen.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"> " </span></i></span></blockquote>
I felt inspired to write about some of the prayers He has answered for me, and I shared my thoughts on Facebook:<br />
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<i>Prayer has changed my life dramatically ... <span class="_4-k1 img sp_UkKp2mjPS47 sx_59bc67" style="background-image: url(https://fbstatic-a.akamaihd.net/rsrc.php/v2/yp/r/aeO1ik7i7-T.png); background-position: 0px -561px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; background-size: auto; display: inline-block; height: 16px; vertical-align: -3px; width: 16px;"><u style="left: -999999px; position: absolute;">🌺 </u></span></i></blockquote>
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<i>When I felt like I was striving in my faith in my own strength, I was shown scriptures like Acts 2:38, Mark 16:16-17 and Romans 12:1-2. I took a leap of faith and prayed for a sign that it was true, and He gave me a new fluent language, right then and there. My life changed in that instant. </i></blockquote>
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<i>When I prayed "Lord, if you want me to marry again you'll have to hit me over the head, because I am not looking, I don't want to make any more mistakes in my own strength." He did. He made it abundantly clear that Pete was the one, and He made it all so beautiful in His timing. </i></blockquote>
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<i>When I was newly remarried and very sick at Christmas camp in 2002, I went to the prayer line and asked someone to pray for me. I was instantly healed of a tummy upset I'd had since a trip to PNG 3 months earlier, a back injury from the same trip (bus with no suspension meets a car-sized pot hole) and a long-term personal health issue. Instantly healed. </i></blockquote>
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<i>When I was at an Easter camp years later and could barely walk to the dining hall, I was so exhausted and depressed, people there prayed for me. They encouraged me with verses like Isaiah 41:14-15. I didn't know I was healed until a few days later when we went sightseeing ... I expected to struggle from the car to the visitors centre, but determined to believe I could do it with His help ... I walked to the top of Mount Kosciusko, even carrying my son (about age 9 at the time) when he got a bad stitch. </i></blockquote>
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<i>Many more times I have had prayers answered ... sometimes instantly, sometimes with a gradual awareness of what is needed to move forward. I am praying now for another healing, no bigger or smaller than those issues, just once again humbly asking the Lord to heal me. I needed to read this, and to give thanks for all that He has already done.</i></blockquote>
One more thing I wrote publicly about was my Gratitude Journal. Do you keep one?<br />
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<i>My keeping of a gratitude journal started with a book, 'One Thousand Gifts' by Ann Voskamp. The idea is summarised here: <a href="http://onethousandgifts.com/a-letter-from-ann" rel="nofollow" style="color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://onethousandgifts.com/a-letter-from-ann</a> </i></blockquote>
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<i><a href="http://onethousandgifts.com/a-letter-from-ann" rel="nofollow" style="color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"></a>For my gratitude diary I chose a nice notebook and started writing a list of what I was thankful for, with enough detail to remind me what I meant when I look back and read it years from now: </i></blockquote>
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<i>1. New day, early waking, quiet morning birdsong & crickets the soundtrack for a peaceful start.<br />3. Blank pages, new journal, a dare to count to 1000, one thousand moments to notice and thank Him for.<br />4. Little people soon to emerge from slumber.<br />21. Happy memories of childhood bikes, trees, pools, friendships, big happy extended family. </i></blockquote>
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<i>At the start I aimed to write 3 things a day I was thankful for, little or big. Now I just add to it sporadically. I write straight from the heart, often as part of my prayer time, part of that ongoing conversation. I haven't reached 1000 yet, but I think I will keep going until the book is full. There is so much to give thanks for!</i></blockquote>
This post is Part #6 the <a href="http://livelifewithyourkids.com/2016/03/21/australian-mums-06/" target="_blank">Australian Mum's Encouraging Mums blog hop</a>.<br />
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I'd love to hear about the hobbies and activities you find refreshing, or how you nurture yourself when you feel the weight of this broken world.<br />
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Kind thoughts,<br />
VanessaButterflyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04696049648997719529noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6320951907569210522.post-19249404258784710662016-03-16T04:47:00.002-07:002016-03-21T14:45:30.473-07:00The best of Chrysalis IslandThis is my eighth year writing on Chrysalis Island. Someone recently prompted me to reflect on the journey so far, and it was lovely looking back at my posts from 2009, seeing what my children were up to when they were little, how much has changed and which things have stayed the same.<br />
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I thought it would be fun to round up my favourite posts. <br />
I hope some of these are informative or entertaining!<br />
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<b><i>The beginning ...</i></b><br />
<a href="http://chrysalisisland.blogspot.com.au/search?updated-min=2009-01-01T00:00:00-08:00&updated-max=2010-01-01T00:00:00-08:00&max-results=16" target="_blank">Our first year homeschooling</a> ... ALL of my posts from 2009!<br />
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<i><b>A day in the life ...</b> (I wish I had written one every year!)</i><br />
<a href="http://chrysalisisland.blogspot.com.au/2010/08/learning-between-lines.html" target="_blank">2010</a> and<br />
<a href="http://chrysalisisland.blogspot.com.au/2010/02/what-week.html" target="_blank">a week in our life 2010 </a><br />
<a href="http://chrysalisisland.blogspot.com.au/2011/02/delightful-days.html" target="_blank">2011</a><br />
<a href="http://chrysalisisland.blogspot.com.au/2016/02/a-typical-day-2016.html" target="_blank">2016</a><br />
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<b><i>My homeschooled child wants to try school ... </i></b><br />
<a href="http://chrysalisisland.blogspot.com.au/2010/12/kindergarten-questions.html" target="_blank">The discussions</a><br />
<a href="http://chrysalisisland.blogspot.com.au/2011/01/if-shoe-fits.html" target="_blank">If the shoe fits</a><br />
<a href="http://chrysalisisland.blogspot.com.au/2011/02/wild-ride.html" target="_blank">The wild ride!</a><br />
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<b><i>Children learning to read ...</i></b><br />
<a href="http://chrysalisisland.blogspot.com.au/2010/09/reading-our-style.html" target="_blank">The playful approach we used</a> to support our children in their quest to become readers.<br />
More about <a href="http://chrysalisisland.blogspot.com.au/2010/02/back-to-school-tomorrow.html" target="_blank">play-based learning</a><br />
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<b><i>Beating the Home-Ed Blues ...</i></b><br />
<a href="http://chrysalisisland.blogspot.com.au/2011/09/beat-home-ed-blue-bugs.html" target="_blank">Ironing out the bugs!</a><br />
<a href="http://chrysalisisland.blogspot.com.au/2012/10/look-up.html" target="_blank">Look UP!</a><br />
<a href="http://chrysalisisland.blogspot.com.au/2016/03/10-ways-to-rescue-rotten-day.html" target="_blank">10 ways to rescue a rotten day</a><br />
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<i><b>Homeschooling when someone is sick ...</b> </i><br />
<a href="http://chrysalisisland.blogspot.com.au/2010/10/mental-health-choices-attitudes.html" target="_blank">The first time</a> I wrote about the roller coaster of mental illness<br />
<a href="http://chrysalisisland.blogspot.com.au/2012/03/homeschooling-when-mum-is-sick.html" target="_blank">A collection of tips</a><br />
<a href="http://chrysalisisland.blogspot.com.au/2012/07/im-back.html" target="_blank">Still sick</a> ... finding out why and what to do about it<br />
<a href="http://chrysalisisland.blogspot.com.au/2016/03/10-ways-to-rescue-rotten-day.html" target="_blank">10 ways to rescue a rotten day</a><br />
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<b><i>Organising our resources ...</i></b><br />
<a href="http://chrysalisisland.blogspot.com.au/2013/09/more-or-less-perfect-planning.html" target="_blank">Overcoming perfectionism</a><br />
<a href="http://chrysalisisland.blogspot.com.au/2013/09/taming-paperwork-monster.html" target="_blank">Taming the paperwork monster</a><br />
<a href="http://chrysalisisland.blogspot.com.au/2013/08/organising-online-resources-with-weebly.html" target="_blank">Weebly website</a> for my children's most used web pages<br />
<a href="http://chrysalisisland.blogspot.com.au/2013/08/ipad-apps-for-8-and-9-year-olds.html" target="_blank">iPad apps for 8-9 year olds</a><br />
<a href="http://chrysalisisland.blogspot.com.au/2016/02/our-plans-for-2016-blog-hop-2.html" target="_blank">Plans for 2016</a><br />
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<b><i>FUN ...</i></b><br />
<a href="http://chrysalisisland.blogspot.com.au/2013/08/everything-to-do-with-dough-and-goo.html" target="_blank">Everything to do with dough and goo</a><br />
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<b><i>From the Heart ... </i></b><br />
<a href="http://chrysalisisland.blogspot.com.au/2016/03/advice-for-new-homeschoolers-blog-hop-3.html" target="_blank">Advice for new homeschoolers</a><br />
<a href="http://chrysalisisland.blogspot.com.au/2015/04/the-heart-of-homeschool-mum.html" target="_blank">The Heart of a Homeschool Mum</a> (a poem)<br />
<a href="http://chrysalisisland.blogspot.com.au/2016/02/my-blogging-story-blog-hop-1.html" target="_blank">My blogging story</a><br />
<a href="http://chrysalisisland.blogspot.com.au/2010/01/my-testimony.html" target="_blank">My testimony</a><br />
<a href="http://chrysalisisland.blogspot.com.au/2010/01/few-truths-about-me.html" target="_blank">A few truths about me</a><br />
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<b><i>I also write at ... </i></b><br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/FreestyleFunHomeschool/" target="_blank">Freestyle Fun</a> - home ed ideas on Facebook<br />
<a href="http://glowheartmindandsoul.weebly.com/" target="_blank">GLOW heart, mind and soul</a> - inspiration and encouragement<br />
and my page <a href="https://www.facebook.com/glowheartmindandsoul" target="_blank">GLOW</a> on Facebook<br />
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This post is Part #5 of the <a href="http://livelifewithyourkids.com/2016/03/14/australian-mums-05/" target="_blank">Aussie Mums Encouraging Mums</a> blog hop.Butterflyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04696049648997719529noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6320951907569210522.post-66303187707630151832016-03-08T18:57:00.000-08:002016-03-08T18:57:11.549-08:00Tour of our Town - Blog Hop #4Finally you've arrived at our place! We've looked forward to meeting each other for so long, and we could just sit and chat with a cup of tea, but why not make the most of being here and see all the sights of our beautiful home town. <br />
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Let's make this an unlimited day ... we have BOUNDLESS time, money and energy!<br />
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How shall we travel? How about a cross between a hover-car and a hot air balloon? Equipped with autopilot or a tour guide, so we can chat or daydream along the way. Our hot air balloon is efficient, safe and beautiful. We can enjoy the view as we rise above busy roads and float along effortlessly in between stops. Settle in, your tour is ready to begin!<br />
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Stop 1 - While we're all fresh, let's visit <a href="http://www.newcastlemuseum.com.au/exhibitions/permanent-exhibitions" target="_blank">Newcastle Museum</a>. Although there are excellent exhibits about local history, transport and industry (with a dramatic steelmaking demonstration), the most memorable part for children is usually lifting a car (an entire, real car) in the Supernova Hands-On Science Centre. The museum is in the beautiful Honeysuckle Precinct on the harbour. <br />
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Around the corner is the <a href="http://maritimecentrenewcastle.org.au/" target="_blank">Maritime Centre</a>. Can you believe we haven't been there yet? <br />
I can't wait to see "<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #224964; text-transform: uppercase;">THEN, NOW AND TOMORROW: </span><span style="color: #53575a; text-transform: uppercase;">a 300 year snapshot of the Hunter’s waterways and surrounds from the 1800’s to what might be in 2100.</span></span><span style="color: #53575a; font-family: Molengo, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-transform: uppercase;">"</span><br />
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Stop 2 - Take the ferry to Stockton, and we'll fly back over the harbour, past Nobby's headland and beach and along the coast, over King Edward Park to Bar Beach. We'll do the <a href="http://www.newcastle.nsw.gov.au/about_newcastle/newcastle_memorial_walk" target="_blank">Newcastle Memorial Walk</a> the have a swim and refreshments at Bar Beach. At low tide there are lovely rock pools to explore and a sheltered swimming corner.<br />
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Stop 3 - Library, Bookshop and Gallery hop - If you're a book-lover, let's cool down and relax at <a href="http://www.newcastle.nsw.gov.au/Library/Connect/Visit/Our-Branches/Wallsend" target="_blank">Wallsend Library</a>. I love the large windows and plentiful reading spots. A short flight back into town, and we can visit <a href="http://www.macleansbooks.com.au/" target="_blank">MacLean's Booksellers in Hamilton</a>, along with numerous second-hand bookstores. Next stop is the Lovett Gallery above the Newcastle Library, then we'll go next-door to the <a href="http://www.nag.org.au/collection/new_acquisitions" target="_blank">Newcastle Art Gallery</a>.<br />
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Stop 4 - <a href="https://oakvalefarm.com.au/" target="_blank">Oakvale Farm</a> is our next stop - we'll need half a day or more to enjoy this place, but luckily we don't have to worry about time today! Once when we visited we were lucky enough to hold little emu chicks ... and there are often baby goats to bottle feed, koala encounters, a reptile show and lots of animals to see as we wander around. I like the water buffalo, not a creature we encounter around here in ordinary life. One the way back to town we'll stop at one of the many trampoline parks, so the kids can flip and jump and have a crazy time! <br />
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Stop 5 - Remember how we don't have a budget today? Let's go to Charlestown Square where we can stock up on the bare necessities at the Apple Shop, Australian Geographic, ABC Shop, Typo ... before hunger calls us to Grill'd, which I have heard sells delicious burgers with gluten free options.<br />
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Stop 6 - One of the many trampoline parks which have been popping up everywhere, a chance for the kids to burn off some of that limitless energy. Maybe they can do a Ninja's or Parkour class. If there's energy to spare, let's go to Speers Point Park, and have a bike ride along the edge of Lake Macquarie. <br />
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How do you end a limitless day? Perhaps we'll buy takeaway dinner from Top Thai in Wallsend or Raj's Corner in Hamilton, and eat in the air on the way to photograph the marvellous sunset over Mount Sugarloaf. I have to go home, but if you want to continue why not explore <a href="http://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/visit-a-park/parks/Barrington-Tops-National-Park" target="_blank">Barrington Tops National Park</a>?<br />
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It's been a pleasure having you here for a virtual visit!<br />
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<a href="" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a><a href="" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a>Butterflyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04696049648997719529noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6320951907569210522.post-72985421772422953682016-03-02T23:44:00.006-08:002016-03-03T14:36:13.218-08:00Advice for new homeschoolers - Blog Hop #3<div class="post-body entry-content tr_bq" id="post-body-3432232582946773757" itemprop="description articleBody" style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 578px;">
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<span style="color: #444444;">This post is part of the blog hop ... <a href="https://www.homeschoolingdownunder.com/australian-mums-encouraging-mums-blog-hop-week-three/" target="_blank">"Australian Mums Encouraging Mums"</a>. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><b><i>Blog Hop Topic #3 </i></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: cyan;"><i style="background-color: white;">This isn't a 'How To Homeschool' article ... more a collection of thoughts based on the lessons I have learned. Best wishes as you embark on this exciting adventure!</i></span><br />
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<span style="color: cyan;"><b><i style="background-color: #999999;">Top Tips</i></b></span></div>
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<b>Be flexible.</b> Be open to change and ready to embrace opportunities. Don't be afraid to change the routine. Unless you are totally captivated by a particular home ed philosophy, don't be too quick to label your style at the exclusion of others. If asked I will say our style is eclectic. I draw inspiration from quite a few home ed styles, and the way we do things changes from year to year. We might be ore or less academic, project based or natural learning one year to the next, but our steady components are faith and books, lots of wonderful books. I don't mind that we don't fit neatly into one group.<br />
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<b>Let it go.</b> Just because your friend or a local home ed veteran thinks a program is brilliant, doesn't mean you will like it, or that it will suit your child. If something isn't working for you and your child, let it go. Sell it or give it away, and free up time to do more of the things which ARE working. <br />
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<b>It's all about <i>your</i> child.</b> Personalised education is one of the strengths of homeschooling. Remembering this will influence everything you do ... when and where your child works, their preferred learning style, whether they need a lot of social stimulation or more time spent in their own company, engaging deeply in what interests them. Each term or so I like to brainstorm what it is that each child needs from me, as their Mum and as the facilitator of their home education. <br />
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<b>Keep your compass handy.</b> Long term goals help put the short term challenges in perspective and make it easier to prioritise and make daily decisions. You can think of long term goals as a compass ... you know where you're heading, but there are many roads on the map which will lead you there. Some detours will add richness to your experience, but your compass will help you keep the destination in mind. By long term goals I mean values, skills and character more than particular academic outcomes.<br />
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<b>Time out.</b> We used to have more frequent, shorter breaks, but I never felt refreshed and the children were frustrated. I spent lunchtime serving lunch to tired children, doing odd jobs and listening to sudden bursts of inspiration ... if I was lucky, I got to read, write or rest for 10 minutes. This year I have built in a TWO HOUR break, from 11-1pm or 12-2pm. Long enough for me to make a healthy lunch, return phone calls, check email, potter around and still have some restful quiet time. We don't watch the clock, but knowing there will be one long break each day motivates us to start earlier and focus in the morning, and by the time we return for afternoon work, we actually feel like we've had a break.<br />
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<b>Take care of yourself.</b> Caitlin has wonderfully addressed the subject of <a href="http://my-little-poppies.com/balance-and-homeschooling/" target="_blank">balancing Mum's needs with children's needs</a> ... she talks about space between and the calm before the storm, and has included lots of enticing links.<br />
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<b>Work hard, work smart.</b> Work hard at spending quality time with your children, reading to them, making time for games, having heart to heart conversations, finding out what makes them tick and finding out what works for your family. Don't worry so much about matching learning to outcomes, ticking boxes, comparing your homeschool to how your friend does things.<br />
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<b>Give your children the best of you.</b> Share your passion, talent, expertise, tools, knowledge and experience. Let your children see you at work ... writing, creating art, tinkering, mending. You don't have to set up formal lessons, just be an available, willing, informal mentor. <br />
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<b>The freezer is your friend.</b> When you have spare energy or time or ingredients, cook and freeze extra meals. I freeze single portions of paleo breakfasts and lunches, cubes of vegetable soup to use as 'secret sauce' (hidden veges) in mince dishes, and servings of cake or slice for a morning tea treat. <br />
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<span style="color: cyan;"><b><i style="background-color: #999999;">Pitfalls ... and how to climb out of the pit</i></b></span></div>
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<b>Perfectionism.</b> A steady flow of 'good enough' days are better than a handful of 'perfect' days. Don't let your desire to do 'the best' stop you from simply 'doing.' <br />
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<b>Trying to do it all.</b> There are so many wonderful things to do, but trying to do too many of them at once will set yourself up for disappointment. Brainstorm all the shiny ideas, and go wild ... but then grab a cup of tea and cross things off the list. Some will be great ideas for the future, others you may visit in a smaller way, and others you may decide you're willing to let go of in the interests of sanity.<br />
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<b>Putting your needs last.</b> Self-care is important. That's why it gets a repeat mention. It can also be <i>really</i> hard, when there are so many pressing needs around you competing for your time. Know what you need to survive and what you need to thrive, and try to make it part of your weekly routine. <br />
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I hear the questions tumbling out ...<br />
<ul>
<li>How can I possibly take time out when my child has separation anxiety?</li>
<li>How can I go to an art class when I can't even keep up with laundry?</li>
<li>How can I find time to exercise?</li>
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These are real road-blocks, but with creativity you can get past most of them. I stay up late or wake early, sometimes both, to enjoy some solitude. I am doing a virtual art class using a book on my Kindle, and I save inspiring ideas to an 'art class' bookmark on my computer with the intention of learning by imitation. My children, together or individually, go with me for walk and talks after dinner. If your children will happily stay with someone else, you can arrange to have time out to do the things which refresh you.<br />
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<b>Introvert overload.</b> One of my needs is solitude. I love my family and friends. I choose to be with them and love our time together, but I do get overloaded and sometimes ... it's too much. At the moment the only lengthy block of solitude I can get is late at night or early in the morning. I can manage with those little top ups, knowing things will change at some point. In the meantime, I choose to be grateful for the closeness.<br />
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<b>Rotten days.</b> Some days nothing goes right. After years of trial and error, I have written an article, <i><a href="http://chrysalisisland.blogspot.com.au/2016/03/10-ways-to-rescue-rotten-day.html" target="_blank">How to rescue a rotten day</a>,</i> full of my best tips to help you turn the tide and move towards a graceful recovery. <br />
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The challenges change from year to year, but the way you face them teaches your children some valuable lessons: how to bounce back, say sorry, look for the positive, compromise, negotiate, make decisions, choose gratitude and show love. No pressure intended!<br />
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<span style="color: cyan;"><b><i style="background-color: #999999;">Support</i></b></span></div>
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With online forums and social media, there is a lot of support for homeschoolers. If you use Facebook, search for the type of support you need, or ask your friends which groups they find the most supportive. It's also a good idea to join a local group to learn about what activities and opportunities are right on your doorstep. Joining an activity or going to a park meet-up are easy ways to meet, and hopefully you'll find some people you really click with. If there's nothing on which appeals to you, suggest something you know your children would like to do ... it's a good way to attract like-minded people. <br />
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The BEST support for your homeschooling journey is a few good friends who know what your days are like, face the same challenges and know how big the little wins really are. My family and friends are usually supportive of our decision to homeschool, but my homeschooling best friends are a real sanity saver! We talk by email, phone or text message, and because our children like to play together, we meet up every fortnight or so. This year we all decided we'd prefer to meet with one family at a time, but we've also been part of lovely small groups which led to long term friendships.<br />
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Don't be afraid to ask for help. We've all been new, and we can all benefit from each other's experiences and wisdom. Chances are if you have a question, someone will thank you for asking it because they are puzzled by the same thing, and people are more than happy to share suggestions and possible solutions. At the very least, you'll know you're not alone, and at best, you will find the book, website, mentor, art or music teacher, or idea to help you on your way.<br />
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<span style="color: cyan;"><b><i style="background-color: #999999;">Encouragement</i></b></span></div>
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At the start of this year, my 8th year homeschooling, I wrote this in my morning pages journal:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>How will I deal with all the parenting, teaching, cooking and cleaning?</i><i>How will I set a sustainable pace?</i><i>PRAY</i></blockquote>
Sometimes it's that simple. We have a lot to juggle, and all the best intentions and clever ideas in the world can't match the power of seeking wisdom from above. <br />
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<span style="color: #666666;">Whether you have come to homeschooling by choice or circumstances,<br />Whether you are Mum to one or seven,<br />Whether you love homeschooling or find it a daily struggle,<br />Whether you have a degree or two or none,<br />Whether your children are livewires or lazybones ... </span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: #666666;">Your homeschooling family will not look like anyone else's<br />But if it's built on LOVE </span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: #666666;">It will be beautiful.</span></blockquote>
Blessings,<br />
VanessaButterflyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04696049648997719529noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6320951907569210522.post-79704307768627903072016-03-02T23:41:00.005-08:002016-03-03T02:31:36.768-08:0010 ways to rescue a rotten day<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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If you are having a rotten homeschool day, you are not alone. Everyone has bad days. They might not talk or write about them, but everyone has difficult, frustrating, no good very bad days. <br />
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<i><b><span style="color: magenta;">There are several varieties of bad day and each comes with it's own triggers:</span></b></i><br />
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<li><i>The kind you see coming</i> ... a child is due for a blood test, it's the day after a late night, today is forecast to be a scorcher of a day, it's windy and there's bushfire smoke in the air.</li>
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<li><i>The kind where things suddenly go really wrong</i> ... a pet dying, illness, bad news on the phone.</li>
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<li><i>The kind where plans can be derailed by a small trigger and before you know it things spiral out of control</i> ... mozzie bites are SO itchy, a morning tea bike ride leaves everyone exhausted, or someone goes happily to do their work outside but gets stung by a wasp.</li>
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Now that we're all thoroughly depressed (and you probably have experiences to add to each variety), here are some possible solutions. I'm sure there are many more and I'd love to hear your suggestions!<br />
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<b><i><span style="color: magenta;">10 Ways to Rescue a Rotten Day:</span></i></b><br />
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<li><b>Switch off.</b> Just for a while, allow everyone to switch off. Have a break and give everyone time to recover, recharge and regroup. How long the break needs to be is determined by how bad the rotten day is, how exhausted you are and so many other factors. </li>
<li><b>Go with the flow.</b> When faced with an unexpected direction, don't be afraid to ditch the plan for the day and explore the rabbit trail in front of you. For example, if everyone is distracted by local bush fires - not a direct threat that requires action - you might ease worried minds by explaining how far away the fire is, or if they are simply curious show them the RFS website, look on maps at the affected areas, teach your children to 'look for the people doing good' in any crisis, and practice your bushfire safety plan.</li>
<li><b>Staff development day.</b> Teachers go on professional development days, why shouldn't we? Whilst you probably still have the children at home, you might find time to research, complete paperwork and prepare future activities by delegating duties to educational shows on ABC iView, a basket full of new books and audiobooks from the library, or a box of toys reserved for such occasions. Marble runs and dominoes work well for this at my place ... open ended, plentiful and lots of scope for creativity.</li>
<li><b>Art.</b> Painting or modelling with clay can do wonders to calm ragged nerves and restore a peaceful mood. Simply set it up, along with a nice snack, and start. I mean you! If the children join in, even better. Alternatively, you could print some geometric patterns for anyone interested to colour, or simply sketch and doodle.</li>
<li><b>Sensory play.</b> Like art, there are many soothing activities you can set up relatively easily, and they are a big hit with children of all ages. Soap carving, weaving, French knitting, and <a href="http://chrysalisisland.blogspot.com.au/2013/08/everything-to-do-with-dough-and-goo.html" target="_blank">Here are some ideas I have collected ... gooey things like bubble dough and oobleck.</a> Yes they are messy, but it will buy you an hour or two of peace and smooth everyone's rough edges. Some of the ingredients will be things you have in the kitchen or bathroom.</li>
<li><b>Choose your own adventure.</b> Don't forget, homeschool isn't school at home. You have the freedom to mix things up. The world is your classroom. Learn outside the box. Where <i>can</i> you go? What can you do? Think outside the box and be playful. Walk in a different direction for a change, suggest writing using the wrong hand or by holding a texta between toes. </li>
<li><b>Change the scenery.</b> If things are going awry maybe it's worth a try. If your children have been working indoors, suggest they move out to the patio or set up a tent as an office for the day. If you need a big shake up, and if you have children who cope well with change, enlist their help in rearranging some of the furniture in a room. </li>
<li><b>Ask for help.</b> There are some great online home ed groups where people are free to vent their problems and other members almost always respond with encouragement. "Me too," or "This is what worked for me ..." Let me know if you need help finding groups to suit your needs.</li>
<li><b>Play the glad game.</b> We read <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2013/02/how-we-all-became-pollyannas-and-why-we-should-be-glad-about-it/273323/" target="_blank">"Pollyanna"</a> last year ... a beautiful story and there's a lot to be said for playing the 'glad game.' There is almost always something to be grateful for, and deliberately talking with your children about what IS going well can help turn a sad day around, or at least take the edge off it. </li>
<li><b>Do the next right thing.</b> Nobody can see into the future, and sometimes we can't see far beyond the mess we're entangled in ... don't try to solve everything at once. Just decide what is the next positive thing that you can do, and do that. If that means 'have a nap', do it. When you wake hopefully problems will seem smaller or your mind will have found a clever solution.</li>
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<b><i><span style="color: magenta;">Move towards a graceful recovery (a personal story):</span></i></b></div>
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<span style="color: #a64d79;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #a64d79;">You need to decide when it's worth fighting a particular battle, and when it's time to change tack, either with a temporary detour or a major course correction. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #a64d79;">My daughter has recently been diagnosed with Hashimotos Thyroiditis. It's been causing such a brain fog that some of the work she normally enjoys is proving difficult and stressful. I know from my own experience with this disease that this is temporary ... for months we have continued to work, but I try to make sure it is confidence boosting and not too taxing. Copywork and familiar maths concepts are mostly ok ... tackling anything tricky is a recipe for a meltdown.</span><br />
<span style="color: #a64d79;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #a64d79;">For a few weeks she has been incredibly tired, too tired to do almost anything, and feeling rotten in dozens of ways. This week she finally started medication, but it will take a while to start working and she still isn't up to doing much. If she attended 'drop off school' she would not be attending most days. The rest of the family have stuff going on too, and it's a pretty challenging time all around. With a relaxing pace, everyone is surviving and finding plenty to be thankful for. Monday and Tuesday were well-spent on nurturing, and I declared the rest of the week "Creativity Week." </span><br />
<span style="color: #a64d79;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #a64d79;">The children and I always have creative things we're keen to do, and as soon as I announced it, eyes lit up and ideas tumbled out. Plucking that simple title out of the air (or my heart) gave us permission to do special projects and engage in activities which inspire and restore us. </span><br />
<span style="color: #a64d79;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #a64d79;">Yesterday, that meant that Elijah designed and built a carry-cage for the front of his new bike. Big enough for the all-important soccer ball. Jasmine and I got to work on turning some plastic storage tubs into a cosy indoor rabbit hutch. We discovered that sewing scissors cut through a plastic lid quite well, and we tossed around ideas about how to connect the two tubs with a tunnel. Painting, cooking and Lego construction also happened, along with books, DVDs and outdoor play. We found time to download photos from iPads and looked through old photos to see how much the children have grown. </span><br />
<span style="color: #a64d79;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #a64d79;">The rest of the week is blissfully free to finish what we have started. Today we met new friends at a new park. We will probably try some online art lessons, explore a new history website I subscribed to, play a new game and continue to enjoy our read-aloud books.</span></div>
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In hard times, give yourself permission to spontaneously declare a Project Week, Readathon, Nature Day or Baking Day. Make it up and announce it with conviction! Focus on being in the moment with your children, enjoy it and record it in your home ed journal. Everyone will learn ... they will also learn how to handle adversity, and will return to routine when it's time with renewed energy. <br />
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It's not a holiday, but it's a lovely way to live, better than trudging along the same path with tired or fractious children, simply because you think you must, when what everyone needs is a lovely diversion, something new to think about and fun to do.<br />
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<i><span style="color: magenta;">If you're having a rotten day, I hope some of these tips help you.</span></i><br />
<i><span style="color: magenta;">All the best, </span></i><i><span style="color: magenta;">Vanessa</span></i></div>
Butterflyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04696049648997719529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6320951907569210522.post-57626145604201186322016-02-24T13:56:00.000-08:002016-02-24T13:56:24.920-08:00Our plans for 2016 - Blog Hop #2<div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-3432232582946773757" itemprop="description articleBody" style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 578px;">
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<span style="color: #444444;">This post is part of the blog hop ... <a href="https://www.homeschoolingdownunder.com/australian-mums-encouraging-mums-blog-hop-week-2/" target="_blank">"Australian Mums Encouraging Mums"</a>. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><b><i>Blog Hop Topic #2 </i></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><u><i><b>"What are your plans for 2016?"</b></i></u></span></div>
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<span style="color: lime;"><b><i style="background-color: #999999;">What are your goals for different areas of your life, including homeschooling?</i></b></span><br />
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Well, that's a big question! I included a goal setting page for each of us in my homeschool journal. My goals are mostly copied from my personal journals and yearly planning pages. <br />
My personal key phrase for the year is "Strength and Vision." <br />
With that in mind, some of my goals are:<br />
<ul>
<li>Homeschool - Keep more detailed home ed records again</li>
<li>Writing - Write on home ed blog monthly and GLOW fortnightly</li>
<li>Creativity - Sketch and paint several times a week</li>
<li>Spiritual - Bible reading plan and journal, prayer list</li>
<li>Family - Make memory albums for the children</li>
<li>Health - Daily sunshine; Walk and talks; Cook easy healthy dinners, lunches and snacks</li>
<li>Home - Deep clean & declutter a room per month</li>
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I recorded goals the children expressed during the Christmas break and had a chat with them at the start of the year to check and add any extras they wanted. DS11 has many goals this year, and is so far working hard to reach them. DD10 has very few goals at present, so I suggested a few which fit with her current interests.<br />
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<b><i><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; color: magenta;">What worked for you last year, what didn't, and what are you going to change?</span></i></b><br />
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Copywork is consistently a favourite activity here. Sometimes chosen by me, sometimes themselves. Last year the children chose to copy a story each - "Fantastic Mr Fox," and "The Boxcar Children." Neither finished the task, but they both copied more than half a novel! It was something they could do independently, and I saw their stamina, confidence and neatness grow. Copywork is a keeper!<br />
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When something doesn't work we let it go and move on without much fanfare. DD10 really disliked Wordly Wise, whilst DS11 enjoyed it and found the challenge rather satisfying. Both have chosen to try something different this year. I asked them to choose two English workbooks each that they would be happy to commit to working in consistently this year. I know they like to have a textbook as a go-to activity, and to switch between two for variety. From the options I presented they both chose exactly what I thought they would, which reassured me that I know them pretty well ... who likes colour vs black and white, challenge vs comfort, clear-cut vs creative.<br />
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For perfectionists who make mistakes (who doesn't?) rub-out pens saved us all a lot of frustration.<br />
We have several each ... and one of mine is tied into my diary so it can't go awol. <br />
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<b><i><span style="background-color: #eeeeee; color: red;">Share your week's schedule or share the stories from one day this week:</span></i></b><br />
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I have written a separate <b><i>'<a href="http://chrysalisisland.blogspot.com.au/2016/02/a-typical-day-2016.html" target="_blank">Typical Day</a>'</i></b> post. We have a rhythm more than a schedule, and that is working very well for us so far this year. Each term I write a new 'timetable' according to what external activities we need to work around, and this is the most flexible one so far. Having said that, we are getting more academic work done than any previous term ... probably because we are all feeling much better, have clear goals, are comfortable with our chosen methods and resources and the children are more mature, motivated and independent.<br />
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Our simple plan this Term is basically independent work in the mornings, a two hour break, and work together in the afternoon.<br />
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<b><i><span style="background-color: #cccccc; color: cyan;">Share how you plan your day/ week/ year - how do you find your priorities?</span></i></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLO3z_Nz9W_GM4FrehiNevToEPPMpQG9oykY_g_y68gQuhPFN_3vWdr8pUZLGbtWyClobAygXvgtb7bOnGBWGPnT4ewxO9mfe70aLpSWtJDC7eDzyi849PIchf6sceRNKjWxJk0w6uUno/s1600/Home+Ed+collage.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLO3z_Nz9W_GM4FrehiNevToEPPMpQG9oykY_g_y68gQuhPFN_3vWdr8pUZLGbtWyClobAygXvgtb7bOnGBWGPnT4ewxO9mfe70aLpSWtJDC7eDzyi849PIchf6sceRNKjWxJk0w6uUno/s640/Home+Ed+collage.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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This collage shows the journals and notebooks I am using this year for planning and recording. Yes, I like to write! I am always gathering ideas. I have a yearly brainstorm, listing all the resources I know I intend to use. I used to over-plan but am getting better at keeping it simple and achievable. The documents I show at registration time are always a work in progress.<br />
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In my journal this year I have pages to summarise plans for each term (like the white page below) and pages to pinpoint the focus for the month (the coloured page). After that, life and learning just has to unfold. Some things which sounded good don't eventuate, and other things might suddenly take precedence. Priorities can be obvious, or they can rise to the surface gradually. <br />
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I take note of special moments, and detailed observations of my children's interests, challenges and triumphs, in an ongoing blank notebook which is also my primary recording tool when we have seasons of 'Project-Based Homeschooling.'<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDnnTHLeEJoWuSbwGXNuWZ3NmoSGioHfkYoUnkMDvZbE3A1ih0RiXiIPZmQYU_96KnMVUX98yhKPbpJojLp-2dUrqxfupH4s8UOZ6KJL9RFbkDh7jl7_siYsmOClHhW7TNEa5Js1qbmJQ/s1600/IMG_8178.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDnnTHLeEJoWuSbwGXNuWZ3NmoSGioHfkYoUnkMDvZbE3A1ih0RiXiIPZmQYU_96KnMVUX98yhKPbpJojLp-2dUrqxfupH4s8UOZ6KJL9RFbkDh7jl7_siYsmOClHhW7TNEa5Js1qbmJQ/s320/IMG_8178.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b><i><span style="background-color: #999999; color: yellow;">Share how you stay motivated to stay on track with your goals</span></i></b><br />
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My home ed journal helps me keep track of what we want to achieve and what we actually do each day. Last year I used my iPad for recording and I found it very easy to get slack. Weekly summaries made way for fortnightly or monthly summaries, and it wasn't as simple to flick back, jot random notes, and see patterns emerge. I like pen and paper, and am glad to have returned to my favourite format of home ed journalling. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVia_4bA457fjk1oS2bFM3Gf4o-QnmKuuDKZWtGUsF3HsT4ZJoNP5SfwnVMqcBXBndGXQXLoWNRCrk-LtBV3lbKi0GuGkW7Md2fEKrsrADy5gAJvD-SaB2-kUrjXgEmwNfcpEuaAT3pL0/s1600/IMG_8172.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVia_4bA457fjk1oS2bFM3Gf4o-QnmKuuDKZWtGUsF3HsT4ZJoNP5SfwnVMqcBXBndGXQXLoWNRCrk-LtBV3lbKi0GuGkW7Md2fEKrsrADy5gAJvD-SaB2-kUrjXgEmwNfcpEuaAT3pL0/s320/IMG_8172.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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This is the journal I created using pages and ideas from several sources. For each month I have a calendar printed on card stock and a summary page. It's lovely to see the lists grow during the month: books, shows, audiobooks, activities and special information.<br />
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I also have weekly double-page spreads to record hours, pages, events and general notes.<br />
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<span style="background-color: #666666; color: white;"><b><i>Share anything that helps us get to know you and your plans for 2016</i></b></span><br />
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Five random insights:<br />
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* I enjoy knitting together ideas from several philosophies ... Charlotte Mason, Thomas Jefferson Education, Project-Based Homeschooling, Natural Learning, WholeHearted Homeschooling. <br />
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* We desire to live simply, walk humbly in faith and love, be thankful, peaceful, be kind to others and ourselves.<br />
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* There is a lovely local Charlotte Mason idea-sharing community. This is probably our most CM year so far ... more read alouds now that I have the stamina to read for longer, we're starting nature journaling, narrations are happening without much prompting, copy work is a daily habit, we do dictation occasionally and frequently enjoy poetry, art and music.<br />
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* We like to spend quality free time with a few friends at once, one family at home or a few at a park, rather than join in with organised activities and large groups. By saying "No thanks" to many good things we're able to say "Yes!" to those which are better for us.<br />
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* I fall more in love with my family every day, growing and learning together!<br />
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<span style="color: magenta;"><i>I'll leave you with a poem I wrote last year, <b><a href="http://chrysalisisland.blogspot.com.au/2015/04/the-heart-of-homeschool-mum.html" target="_blank">Heart of a Homeschool Mum</a>.</b></i></span><br />
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<i>Sending kind thoughts, </i><br />
<i>Vanessa</i><br />
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6320951907569210522" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6320951907569210522" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6320951907569210522" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6320951907569210522" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a>Butterflyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04696049648997719529noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6320951907569210522.post-17289550372132552392016-02-24T13:53:00.000-08:002016-02-24T13:53:30.197-08:00A Typical Day 2016<b><i><span style="color: magenta;">A typical day? What IS that?!</span></i></b><br />
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Let's face it, there are many things people don't want to share online, but it's still fun to get a glimpse into the inner workings of different home ed families. I know I learn something every time I read a <i>typical day</i> blog post. It's interesting, encouraging, and reminds me we're all doing the best we can with what we've got. So, drawing upon my notes and memories of this month, here's a glimpse into our homeschooling life so far this year.<br />
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<b>The GOOD</b> - Moments to celebrate and remember:<br />
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* Connections are made, like when we were reading "Pay It Forward", tied it in with Fibonacci's Rabbits and got to interview Nanna about her experience with acts of kindness.<br />
* Twice this month, someone has woken up motivated and finished their independent work by 9am, then proceeded to do lots of extra chores (ok, there was money involved). Early-bird work happens at my friend's place quite often, but for us it's a first!<br />
* Relaxing home days with one or two outings or play dates a week, usually after lunch.<br />
* We got to mind a bunny for a week whilst searching for it's owner. That was lovely. Eventually the owner saw one of the pages we letter-boxed and came to collect the sweet little rabbit. Turns out they only lived around the corner, and the reunion was beautiful!<br />
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<b>The Bad</b> - Challenging moments, and what helped:<br />
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* I was <i>this close</i> to having an introvert-overload induced implosion ... a nap helped a bit.<br />
* Someone had a sad day, and needed lots of rest, cuddles and stories ... I was super tired that day too, and easily decided to ditch the plans and focus on nurture, peace, kindness and creativity.<br />
* Sickness forced me to delegate teaching duties to ABC iView educational shows ... no harm done.<br />
* Someone little had a wonky day thanks to a thyroid flare-up ... a morning resting on the lounge, a lunchtime movie, ice cubes and gluten-free brownies helped soothe the fractious mood.<br />
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Hopefully that puts things into perspective!<br />
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<b><i><span style="color: magenta;">What happens here on a 'Typical Day'?</span></i></b><br />
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We work from <i>9-11am</i> every day, and <i>1-3pm</i> three days a week. Sometimes it's more like 9-12 and 2-3pm, and the lighter days vary according to what's on that week. Lots of learning happens outside those times too, and I record it all. If we're tired we start later. If we have momentum, we keep going. <br />
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I am trying to ensure we have a <i>two hour break</i>, as it's necessary if we are to feel properly refreshed for the afternoon. Two hour breaks mean we can have lunch, make phone calls, hang a second load of washing or have a bike ride or walk, and I still have time to read or nap while the kids read or play.<br />
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Sometimes one or both children do their maths at night, when they feel focused and settled. <br />
Sometimes the wheels fall off and we take a gentle approach ... reading and listening to read alouds, talking, playing, watching dvds or shows on ABC iView, listening to audio books and doing creative activities like Lego, painting and baking.<br />
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I adopted the <a href="https://awalkinthewildflowers.wordpress.com/2016/01/23/simplifying-homeschool/" target="_blank">"task book" idea from Renelle</a>, and it is working extremely well for us. I write in them each night ready for the next day. The picture above shows task books and my home ed journal.<br />
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<b>5:30am</b> - Sometimes I wake up when Hubby leaves for work, and I might write in my morning pages journal before falling back asleep or reading my Bible. <br />
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<b>7am</b> - Usually the kids and I wake up. They go in the lounge room to play, and I often stay in bed a while longer to read, pray and think about the day.<br />
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<b>8am</b> - We get started on breakfast, showers if needed, housework, pet care - any one of us might get caught up in book in my Poppy's armchair in the sunroom.<br />
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<b>9am</b> - If we are ready to start the day, we get a drink, gather at the table and get out our baskets (containing stationery and diary). We might do All About Spelling together first. Otherwise the children get straight into their independent work. They look at their 'task books' to see what independent work I have suggested for them today. They are free to do it in any order, and there are often choices for them to make, and when needed there's space to record pages done in workbooks. Things are running more smoothly of a morning, and we are all enjoying this more than printed checklists, verbal instructions or post-it note tagged workbooks in baskets. <br />
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My home ed journal is also set up on the table, partly filled in with plans for the day, ready to add to change as the day unfolds ... did I mention I love rub-out pens? I work on record keeping, prepare a lesson, do marking, help with maths or english, wash the dishes, serve late breakfast or morning tea, or hang up washing.<br />
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Independent work usually happens in the morning and includes several or all of the following: copy work, maths, assigned reading, diary, an English textbook, guitar or ukulele, and devotions which they might do alone or with me. I have set up a shelf with 'assigned reading' options for each child, but they choose what to read when, and are free to add books from other shelves, so adding assigned reading to the list is just a daily reminder to read more widely, and to record books they read.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuUHrm4Rel8CSbHGsNERI6M_M8xuSuiI-vpGMEKDIDTmjERgGkoyCaTjO5h_fgi74MMXU5SemrluB1qo0Q_VNhTkQA0JEKwJShPh-6qA09ftIYaHaK_v_5HAMcQJTJodI-qgNSU1Oa-P4/s1600/IMG_8179.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuUHrm4Rel8CSbHGsNERI6M_M8xuSuiI-vpGMEKDIDTmjERgGkoyCaTjO5h_fgi74MMXU5SemrluB1qo0Q_VNhTkQA0JEKwJShPh-6qA09ftIYaHaK_v_5HAMcQJTJodI-qgNSU1Oa-P4/s200/IMG_8179.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Copywork from read-aloud novels and poetry ... <br />
I write it in my book then the children take turns copying it. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQq93wKKcnM06oc5cvNgSQVWqfYgvVdO24GocX6-bimEuigg_nTmEfT0l66YgZ69tScEJWUWpU2s2ci-xdmMilPioF_Kk_0xb4J_USoicyv6ZHjTWLqwfw2L3xN0oxo0gFXBchGuKvyxY/s1600/IMG_8182.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQq93wKKcnM06oc5cvNgSQVWqfYgvVdO24GocX6-bimEuigg_nTmEfT0l66YgZ69tScEJWUWpU2s2ci-xdmMilPioF_Kk_0xb4J_USoicyv6ZHjTWLqwfw2L3xN0oxo0gFXBchGuKvyxY/s200/IMG_8182.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">DS11's textbooks for Maths and English. <br />
He also uses Maths Online.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj41m0avSadjgAwYP25QG30AV_1NjM_jB47Og3AcNsl0RKtZZdnefnrbE1woPeDHDSQ49Cp_s0dBbaFA7O5h1oXncVR8npkt4GmRHHXe1DFXt43SdA1YTafJ7OAQFky90ovZ-1Ed-yD4HU/s1600/IMG_8183.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj41m0avSadjgAwYP25QG30AV_1NjM_jB47Og3AcNsl0RKtZZdnefnrbE1woPeDHDSQ49Cp_s0dBbaFA7O5h1oXncVR8npkt4GmRHHXe1DFXt43SdA1YTafJ7OAQFky90ovZ-1Ed-yD4HU/s200/IMG_8183.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">DD10's textbooks for Maths and English. <br />
She also uses iPad apps for maths, such as Targeting Maths.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidndAR5dCSoDth2VROPk6obsVnZjOsk-HMmViALjgPYR3SNalsuT30RHE_3ysd6DQ5gIoLFo0ZzXES5kQoNHwAlZKYOb3-gWwqSr66p7bCiH4yS18XuBX16gWJDoanPsa9NBLsnz9FRtk/s1600/IMG_8181.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidndAR5dCSoDth2VROPk6obsVnZjOsk-HMmViALjgPYR3SNalsuT30RHE_3ysd6DQ5gIoLFo0ZzXES5kQoNHwAlZKYOb3-gWwqSr66p7bCiH4yS18XuBX16gWJDoanPsa9NBLsnz9FRtk/s200/IMG_8181.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">DD and I do 'creative copy work', copying mottos, verses, lists etc. DS prefers to use his book for written conversations and interviews.</td></tr>
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I am amused that, from the options I presented, my son has chosen all Excel textbooks for English and Maths. I think they're good enough, but I find some of the questions rather ambiguous, and am glad there is a marking guide ... though I don't always agree with the reasoning behind the 'correct' answers.<br />
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<b>10:30am</b> - Independent work is finished and I read to the children in the lounge room. They might be laying down, cuddled up to me, doing a puzzle, colouring in or quietly fiddling with something (Lego, finger knitting, dolls, paper). <br />
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We have a few read-alouds on the go at a time. We have already finished "Tuck Everlasting."<br />
Presently we're sharing these books:<br />
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<ul>
<li> "Pay It Forward" by Catherine Ryan Hyde</li>
<li> "Dear Mr Henshaw" by Beverley Cleary</li>
<li> "Mistakes That Worked"by Charlotte Foltz Jones</li>
<li> "Nonsense Limericks" by Edward Lear</li>
<li> "A Vision Splendid: The Complete Poetry of A.B. 'Banjo' Paterson"</li>
<li> "Hero Tales" by Dave and Neta Jackson</li>
</ul>
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<b>11am or 12noon</b> - We break for two hours, and each go off to do what we want to do. At some point one of us remembers we need lunch, and we make it together. Otherwise, it's free time and anything goes ... internet research, email, reading, play outside or inside, craft, and sometimes for me a nap or writing time.<br />
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<b>1pm or 2pm</b> - Sometimes we just bake or enjoy some more read-alouds, but usually we work together on other subjects such as art, science, history or health. I will elaborate on our plans in those subjects another day. This month our focus has been Antarctica ... timely as Aunty J. and Uncle B. were there, so we followed their itinerary, looked at webcams and weather maps online, and used a pile of library resources. We did a very smelly experiment to see how blubber insulates seals. Once Aunty J. and Uncle B. recover from the experience and sort out their photos, they will visit and tell us all about it!<br />
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<b>3pm</b> - Dad arrives home from work, friends arrive home and often come to play, and if we need to some of us go shopping or to the library. DS11 has just finished cricket and next week he'll start soccer training.<br />
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<b>5:30pm</b> - Dinner might be cooked, dishes washed, washing folded etc. We eat, play, talk, tidy up, get ready for the next day, and I often go for a walk and talk with one or both of the children. Ideas and deep thoughts come out, problems are solved and we make decisions and imagine possibilities. Then there are showers, chores, board games, books and rumbles.<br />
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<b>8:30 or 9pm</b> - Teeth are brushed and people start heading for bed, usually Dad first because he gets up so early. Kids read, colour in or relax in bed, and I finish cleaning up, chat with my Hubby, sometimes call Mum, check emails and Facebook. I tuck in whoever is ready when they are ready, and I start to relax. <br />
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<b>10:30pm</b> - Usually everyone else is asleep. If I am still up I make a cup of liquorice and peppermint tea and enjoy the peace, read, write or chat online. I almost always read before I fall asleep. <br />
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That's the pattern of our days. One day soon I will write about how we rescue rotten days!</div>
Butterflyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04696049648997719529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6320951907569210522.post-34322325829467737572016-02-17T22:00:00.002-08:002016-02-17T22:00:56.935-08:00My blogging story - Blog Hop #1<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #444444;">I'm taking part in my first blog hop ... <a href="https://www.homeschoolingdownunder.com/australian-mums-encouraging-mums-blog-hop-week-one/" target="_blank">"Australian Mums Encouraging Mums"</a>. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;">I'm excited about the topics for the 4 weeks of the blog hop. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;">I hope you enjoy reading this, and follow the link above to read other great blogs. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;">If you have a homeschooling blog, why not join in? </span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><b><i>Blog Hop Topic #1 </i></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><u><i><b>"Why did you start blogging, and why do you keep blogging?"</b></i></u></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: magenta;"><i>Why did I start blogging?</i></span></b><br />
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I started my first blog, "Chrysalis Island" in 2009. That was the year we decided to homeschool our children, who were 4 and 5 years old. I had returned to being a stay-at-home Mum home after a few years of teaching while my husband was a (quite brilliant) stay-at-home Dad. We had various reasons for deciding to homeschool and I found many blogs which helped me immensely in the early years. It was from reading those blogs that I got the idea to record our own journey. <br />
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I write as a way to work out my thoughts. I think best when I do it with a pen and paper, or the modern equivalent. With homeschooling, there was a LOT to process ... so much freedom, so many choices and such a lot at stake ... and it was so different from my experience as a school and uni student and teacher. Writing about what we were learning and experiencing helped me deschool myself and understand my children better. It was also a handy way to record some of my decisions, in case one day I looked back and thought "What on earth was I thinking?!"<br />
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<b><span style="color: lime;"><i>Blogs I have found inspiring and helpful ...</i></span></b><br />
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I LOVE reading other people's homeschooling blogs ... it's like getting a chance to be a fly on the wall, but not as creepy! Many of the best resources and ideas I have found came from blogs.<br />
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<a href="http://www.navigatingbyjoy.com/" target="_blank">Navigating By Joy</a><br />
<a href="http://ohpeacefulday.blogspot.com.au/" target="_blank">A Peaceful Day</a><br />
<a href="http://blog.aussiepumpkinpatch.com/" target="_blank">Aussie Pumpkin Patch</a><br />
<a href="http://dovesrest.blogspot.com.au/" target="_blank">Dove's Rest</a> (now writing at <a href="https://awalkinthewildflowers.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">A Walk in the Wildflowers</a>)<br />
<a href="https://www.homeschoolingdownunder.com/blog/" target="_blank">Homeschooling Downunder</a><br />
<a href="http://eclectic-homeschool.com/" target="_blank">Eclectic Homeschool</a><br />
<a href="http://kezs-blog.blogspot.com.au/" target="_blank">Kez's Blog</a><br />
<a href="http://funschoolingblog.blogspot.com.au/" target="_blank">Funschooling</a> (now <a href="https://quarkacademy.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Quark Academy</a>)<br />
<a href="http://satorismiles.com/" target="_blank">Satori Smiles</a><br />
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There are many other blogs I have enjoyed reading, and a couple of brilliant ones which are no longer online, but those are some of my regularly visited favourites.<br />
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<b><span style="color: #e69138;"><i>Why do I keep blogging?</i></span></b><br />
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I keep blogging because I love to write, and for all the reasons I started in the first place. When we started the local home ed community was pretty small, and I wasn't using Facebook home ed support groups. I have more connections now, but I still love to figure things out by writing about them. I also hope it might interest or encourage other homeschooling parents.<br />
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I use blogging as an aid to my memory. I am inclined to forget more than I remember, and I want to remember the little things. I have not written on my blog much in the last two years, but I am SO glad I wrote all of the posts I did. Looking at what I wrote in 2009 brings me so much joy. So much has NOT changed since then, which is a good thing ... my children are still the same at heart, just taller, blossoming versions of their beautiful selves.<br />
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<span style="color: purple;"><b><i>Why does my blog have ... gaps?</i></b></span><br />
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I do tend to go missing in action for long periods of time. There are many reasons ... I am an over thinker, and can get myself tangled up at times ... if I'm lucky it ends with a lightbulb moment. Once it's processed, sometimes I want to share about it, sometimes I don't know how. We've had long battles with health, physical and mental, and I'm a pretty private person, especially when it comes to what I share online. This means that when life gets complicated I get quiet.<br />
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<b><i><span style="color: #38761d;">My blog then and now ...</span></i></b><br />
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In the earlier days I often tried to define our homeschooling style and wrote more about what we actually did. I never shared much about particular resources we used, because we used a lot of different books and methods and if something wasn't working we changed it ... if I listed everything then didn't like something I would feel bad about recommending it, and if anyone (other than our inspector) saw the whole list of what we drew from they might think we did everything in each one and be totally overwhelmed and discouraged. Not my aim (and did I mention I am an over thinker?) Over time I have also become more cautious about privacy, and I use other methods to share what we do with a selected audience and sometimes that left me wondering what TO share on here.<br />
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In the end I always come back to:<br />
- just telling it like it is<br />
- speaking from the heart<br />
- sounding slightly too serious<br />
- wanting to be understood<br />
- hoping to encourage and inspire<br />
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Conversations are good for problem solving and sharing tid bits, but I like blogging as a method of deep communication about what I think will be helpful ... either a story of what we have struggled with and how we overcame it, links to make something easier to understand, or just collections of ideas.<br />
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<i><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">What I've learnt because I blog ...</span></b></i><br />
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I have learnt/ learned that I am obsessive about proof-reading every little thing I share online ... and even though I re-read all of my posts an embarrassing number of times before publishing, mistakes still slip through. Also, I love getting comments ;)<br />
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<b><span style="color: #cc0000;"><i>What do I do other than blog?</i></span></b><br />
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I read a lot. Young adult and children's fiction, home ed guides, the Bible, Australian outback romance, historical fiction ... in fact ANY words which happen to be in front of me, except the ones I definitely don't want to read. I am a word addict.<br />
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I paint & sketch.<br />
I count my blessings ... there's a lot to be thankful for!<br />
I go for 'walk and talks' with my children.<br />
I enjoy long conversations with my family and friends (preferably only one or two at a time).<br />
I am teaching myself to play the ukulele.<br />
I set goals and reflect on my progress each month.<br />
I get an opportunity to stay home alone once in a blue moon, which I love to do and sometimes crave, but usually I decide to join in with a trip to the beach instead.<br />
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I research, anything and everything. Always learning is one of my mottos. Some of my pet topics at present are Antarctica, Hashimotos Thyroiditis in children, minimalism & simplicity, prayer & fasting and paleo cooking.<br />
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I write constantly ... several journals for all moods, personal letters, home ed plans and records, encouragement and advice on online home ed groups. I have a whole shelf full of partly-written books, plots and ideas which I might revisit when the time is right. I have other blogs too, such as <a href="http://glowheartmindandsoul.weebly.com/" target="_blank">"GLOW"</a> which is somewhat like a public journal, and a way to inspire and encourage others.<br />
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<i><b><span style="color: magenta;">What are some things about you that you've never shared on your blog?</span></b></i><br />
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Time for the secrets to come out!!<br />
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In an interview for a job at a boarding school I was asked how qualified I was to coach rugby league (or some kind of football, ha ha) and I said "Does 12 years of ballet count?"<br />
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My children were both born prematurely, one predictably by caesarean 5.5 weeks early after a complicated pregnancy, one the other way 7.5 weeks early for no known reason. Both were perfectly fine and beautifully cared for in NICU nurseries. <br />
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And ... I have travelled to Greece, Papua New Guinea and Vanuatu. All were amazing, beautiful places. The people are what made each trip extra special. I still want to see many parts of Australia, Fiji and maybe New Zealand, but I am equally happy at home or in a library.<br />
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<b><i style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: cyan;">Links to your top blog posts</span></i></b><br />
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Like Renelle, I will simply say thanks for visiting my blog! <br />
Please have a look around and let me know what you'd like to read more about.<br />
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<i>Kind thoughts, </i><br />
<i>Vanessa</i><br />
<br />Butterflyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04696049648997719529noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6320951907569210522.post-17593824725341300672015-04-05T04:41:00.001-07:002015-04-05T05:44:35.137-07:00The Heart of a Homeschool Mum<div style="text-align: center;">
<u><b><span style="color: magenta; font-size: large;">The Heart of a Homeschool Mum</span></b></u></div>
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<i>by Vanessa Preston</i></div>
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Do I expect too much</div>
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Or not enough?</div>
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Am I being too gentle</div>
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Or being too tough?</div>
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Are we too lazy</div>
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Or just loving life?</div>
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Will what we let slide today</div>
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Tomorrow cause strife?</div>
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Should we read all the books</div>
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Stacked on the shelves?</div>
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At the risk of missing lessons</div>
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Learned by living life itself?</div>
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Too many choices</div>
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Too much at stake</div>
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Our children could pay</div>
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For my every mistake</div>
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So many doubts</div>
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So many fears</div>
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So many smiles</div>
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So many tears</div>
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When will my worry cease?</div>
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When will I be at peace?</div>
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When will I know they know enough?</div>
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Of what really matters</div>
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without all the fluff</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTaep0K1XtMk7i0cwQgnfXh4ue55Wz3wMG13l8YpkRP7nY6MQ02awt8ZcRAWaR_2C1JzdjZqMFBssvLSSh1HylbX8hWeV2lGQH1Fw6HAXKlJxYt-9W4sL3ms4bneVkwl6RUJycEGElKiw/s1600/IMG_6873.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTaep0K1XtMk7i0cwQgnfXh4ue55Wz3wMG13l8YpkRP7nY6MQ02awt8ZcRAWaR_2C1JzdjZqMFBssvLSSh1HylbX8hWeV2lGQH1Fw6HAXKlJxYt-9W4sL3ms4bneVkwl6RUJycEGElKiw/s1600/IMG_6873.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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We treasure the moments</div>
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Yet time goes so fast</div>
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And soon the present becomes the past</div>
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Tomorrow is another day</div>
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Many possible paths</div>
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No one right way</div>
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As long as we proceed in love</div>
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Seek direction from above</div>
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Maybe then, it is enough </div>
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To be content with good enough</div>
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We'll live our lives in faith and light </div>
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Enjoy each day and what it brings</div>
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Look forward to the future bright</div>
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And hear the dreams each sweet heart sings</div>
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<a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.blogger.com%2Fblogger.g%3FblogID%3D6320951907569210522%23editor%2Ftarget%3Dpost%3BpostID%3D1759382472534130067%3BonPublishedMenu%3Dallposts%3BonClosedMenu%3Dallposts%3BpostNum%3D0%3Bsrc%3Dlink&media=https%3A%2F%2Fimages-blogger-opensocial.googleusercontent.com%2Fgadgets%2Fproxy%3Furl%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252F4.bp.blogspot.com%252F-JXnyl5c0d1w%252FVSEaQCrum4I%252FAAAAAAAAAbM%252F196260DJbL0%252Fs1600%252FIMG_6873.JPG%26container%3Dblogger%26gadget%3Da%26rewriteMime%3Dimage%252F*&xm=h&xv=sa1.35&description=" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; left: 193px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; top: 676px; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.blogger.com%2Fblogger.g%3FblogID%3D6320951907569210522%23editor%2Ftarget%3Dpost%3BpostID%3D1759382472534130067%3BonPublishedMenu%3Dallposts%3BonClosedMenu%3Dallposts%3BpostNum%3D0%3Bsrc%3Dlink&media=https%3A%2F%2Fimages-blogger-opensocial.googleusercontent.com%2Fgadgets%2Fproxy%3Furl%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252F4.bp.blogspot.com%252F-JXnyl5c0d1w%252FVSEaQCrum4I%252FAAAAAAAAAbM%252F196260DJbL0%252Fs1600%252FIMG_6873.JPG%26container%3Dblogger%26gadget%3Da%26rewriteMime%3Dimage%252F*&xm=h&xv=sa1.35&description=" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; left: 193px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; top: 676px; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.blogger.com%2Fblogger.g%3FblogID%3D6320951907569210522%23editor%2Ftarget%3Dpost%3BpostID%3D1759382472534130067%3BonPublishedMenu%3Dallposts%3BonClosedMenu%3Dallposts%3BpostNum%3D0%3Bsrc%3Dlink&media=https%3A%2F%2Fimages-blogger-opensocial.googleusercontent.com%2Fgadgets%2Fproxy%3Furl%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252F4.bp.blogspot.com%252F-JXnyl5c0d1w%252FVSEaQCrum4I%252FAAAAAAAAAbM%252F196260DJbL0%252Fs1600%252FIMG_6873.JPG%26container%3Dblogger%26gadget%3Da%26rewriteMime%3Dimage%252F*&xm=h&xv=sa1.35&description=" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; left: 193px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; top: 676px; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.blogger.com%2Fblogger.g%3FblogID%3D6320951907569210522%23editor%2Ftarget%3Dpost%3BpostID%3D1759382472534130067%3BonPublishedMenu%3Dallposts%3BonClosedMenu%3Dallposts%3BpostNum%3D0%3Bsrc%3Dlink&media=https%3A%2F%2Fimages-blogger-opensocial.googleusercontent.com%2Fgadgets%2Fproxy%3Furl%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252F4.bp.blogspot.com%252F-JXnyl5c0d1w%252FVSEaQCrum4I%252FAAAAAAAAAbM%252F196260DJbL0%252Fs1600%252FIMG_6873.JPG%26container%3Dblogger%26gadget%3Da%26rewriteMime%3Dimage%252F*&xm=h&xv=sa1.35&description=" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; left: 193px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; top: 676px; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a>Butterflyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04696049648997719529noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6320951907569210522.post-61309482295862701642014-12-12T13:37:00.001-08:002014-12-12T13:37:27.238-08:00Something special for you ... We're still here, just recovering from a few months trekking in the Himalayas. The Wifi network is patchy over there. <br />
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Just kidding. That sounds more fun than the real story.<br />
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Anyway ... here's a brilliant resource guide, from one of my favourite home ed. blogs. <br />
It's an absolute treasure trove of not-boring resources, likely to impress home ed. inspectors AND more importantly, interest and challenge learners of all ages. <br />
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It's free and the authors want it shared far and wide to eliminate worldwide boredom ... oops, they didn't say that, but it IS free and they DID say to share it. ;)<br />
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<a href="http://steampoweredclassroom.com/free-fully-revised-spc-educators-resource-guide/"><img alt="SPC Resource Guide, 2nd edition" class="alignright size-full wp-image-6906" height="484" src="http://steampoweredclassroom.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Screen-Shot-2014-12-08-at-12.57.19-PM.png" width="314" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://steampoweredclassroom.com/free-fully-revised-spc-educators-resource-guide/">http://steampoweredclassroom.com/free-fully-revised-spc-educators-resource-guide/</a><br />
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Enjoy!Butterflyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04696049648997719529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6320951907569210522.post-50789615472805447672014-04-18T22:25:00.003-07:002014-04-18T22:25:47.124-07:00Fun days ... last year!I rarely get around to writing about wonderful activities and excursions, so I think it's time for an update on some of the highlights of this year <span style="color: magenta;">... now last year, oops. I saved a draft and forgot to finish it ... so this is a little collection of brightness from 2013, then we can travel to the present. </span><br />
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Our friend found tadpoles, which we watched grow into green tree frogs before releasing back into their natural habitat.<br />
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We had a weekend away at Dubbo Zoo with some friends. We rode bikes between exhibits and the Dads acted like monkeys to entice the Siamang Gibbons to call and climb. It worked a treat.<br />
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We went to a fellowship camp in the Snowy Mountains (not during snow season) and enjoyed the company of sweet friends ...<br />
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We then climbed the tallest mountain in Australia, Mt Kosciuszko ... Elijah and I made it all the way to the top. Before the walk, I had been extremely tired for so long, it was a miracle to even get beyond the carpark. I still thank the Lord for restoring my energy that day and for months after. We enjoyed the view for a few minutes before the clouds encircled the summit:<br />
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Jasmine and Pete made it to a lookout a few km behind us:<br />
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Elijah's fourth soccer season was a lot of fun, thanks to Super Coach Col and a large group of lovely team mates. Elijah played hard and was much more involved this year (less standing back analysing the game, more ball contact).<br />
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Both children did a weekly home ed. gymnastics class (we do this most years during the cooler months). It was a treat for us parents to have someone else in charge whilst we watched and chatted.<br />
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We had a great time at the Athletics carnival too ... Jasmine was entertaining on the high jump and I caught some of her moves on video.<br />
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We went to an equestrian centre with lots of other home ed. families to a Medieval display, put on by some very enthusiastic, knowledgable and friendly people who role play history for fun. There were presentations about costumes and equipment, battle armour and weapons. It was all fascinating, but the most lively parts were dressing a knight and feeling the weight of real chainmail, sword and dagger combat (with blunt but heavy weapons), mounted archery and a demonstration of training horses in skills needed for battle (with lettuces and plastic pigs as pretend targets).<br />
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Something that we all enjoyed, was an unplanned but delightful foray into bird-watching and identification, right in our own backyard. We see lots of lively blue fairy wrens flitting around our rose-apple tree, several pairs of spotted turtle doves nesting in our pine trees, plus we are often visited by kookaburras, magpies, crows. The finches and wrens love our grass and weeds.<br />
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The children would LOVE a pet. They sometimes babysit their Nanna's dog, and they love the local creatures (birds, blue tongue lizards, skinks, possums) but they REALLY want to OWN something. Requests have included a whippet, horse, rabbits, mice, rats, several kinds of snakes, and a coelophysis (a dinosaur, in case you didn't know). I'm sure there were more. None of those are suitable for us at present for many reasons. We finally found a pet that would work in our home ... fighting fish!<br />
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Midnight and Fighter</div>
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They are lively, entertaining creatures and our friend discovered they will bite if someone dares to put a finger in the water (oops, we now warn our guests before they look). <br />
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Elijah had his first ride on a jetski with our friend, and more since. He's rapt.<br />
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Books, books, books ... nothing new about that. :)<br />
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Jasmine had an interest in rocks and minerals for a while, making good use of our small collection, the microscope, posters, books. We made a model solar system, played with paint, experimented with recipes, both edible and play dough. Elijah and Jasmine did a few sessions of rock climbing, and at home there was a lot of creative, investigative learning going on alongside the usual routines.<br />
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See you in the present year soon!<br />
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<br />Butterflyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04696049648997719529noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6320951907569210522.post-15856358327003109912013-09-27T18:35:00.002-07:002014-04-18T21:53:39.827-07:00NaNoWriMo and the Young Writer's Program<a href="http://ywp.nanowrimo.org/what-is-nanowrimo">NaNoWriMo</a> is National Novel Writing Month. It takes place in November each year and is described as 30 days and nights of literary abandon. Does that sound like fun to you?<br />
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<b><u>NaNoWriMo for me ...</u></b><br />
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I love to write, guess you know that already. Here's a link to my writing blog, <a href="http://inkisland.blogspot.com.au/2013/10/where-do-you-write.html">Ink Island</a>. I have something like 50 unfinished projects, which I put away in boxes when we decided to homeschool our children. <br />
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Do you wonder why couldn't I write AND home-educate?<br />
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When the kids were younger, it went something like this:<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;"><i>ME</i> (parent, teacher, wife)</span> + <i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #351c75;">WRITING</span></i> = <i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #6fa8dc;">preoccupied, distracted, frustrated, guilty, sad</span></i><br />
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In short, the combination wasn't good for me as a writer or mother, and one role had to be put on hold. It was an easy choice! There is a season for everything, and it wasn't the season for me to focus on writing. Now, perhaps it is the season for me to write a little ... at least for an hour a day during the month of November. <br />
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I dipped my toes into NaNoWriMo last year, but quickly discovered the water was still too chilly. There were other issues we had to deal with more urgently ... I was battling ill health, helping elderly relatives in need, and squeezing in a little home ed whenever I could manage.<br />
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Fast forward to this year. I am <i>much</i> healthier (for which I can only praise the Lord). Our relatives needs have changed and I have a little more free time. And rather than trying to keep up with delightful but demanding children, I am home educating two (more independent) bright, keen young writers.<br />
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So, with a healthy mix of energy, caution, passion, commitment and prayerfulness, I am doing NaNoWriMo 2013. I have updated my existing NaNoWriMo account. I won't say <i>what</i> I am writing. For me it is more about taking some time out to write each day, pulling together some ideas I have been jotting down in my spare time during the last couple of years.<br />
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<u><b>... and my children!</b></u><br />
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They are coming along for the ride, in the <a href="http://ywp.nanowrimo.org/families">NaNoWriMo Young Writer's Program</a>. They are keen, but there will be no pressure, just a lot of encouragement, fun and writing (with as much support as they need). I created a teacher ID separate from my writer ID, registered our 'school' on the YWP page with a fun name and I enrolled my students. We're ready to rock!<br />
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I already have some excellent resources for teaching children how to write, but was nevertheless happy to discover the <a href="http://ywp.nanowrimo.org/lesson-plans">Lesson Plans</a> NaNoWriMo has provided for teachers. I have chosen the Upper Elementary Curriculum, and will use whatever parts of it I think we will find useful.<br />
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There are also <a href="http://ywp.nanowrimo.org/workbooks">Student Workbooks</a>. I have downloaded one but don't know if we will use it yet. My budding authors often prefer to do things orally. I am sure some pages will be helpful during the planning stages. <br />
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If you want to register for the Young Writers Program, it's easy. Start <a href="http://ywp.nanowrimo.org/educators">here</a>, read what it's about and follow the instructions. You will need an email address for each child. We used pseudonyms and signed up for gmail ... my children are thrilled to have email addresses, even if I insist they are joint accounts with me. I don't imagine they will need to access their email accounts anyway. We can send each other messages within our NaNoWriMo YWP classroom.<br />
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<b>Have you ever taken part in NaNoWriMo? Do you think the Young Writers Program is something your children would enjoy?</b>Butterflyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04696049648997719529noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6320951907569210522.post-66044280196424891152013-09-18T23:44:00.001-07:002013-09-19T20:03:08.746-07:00Mathematician's Lament<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
My husband knows I'm a maths geek. It was he who told me about this article a few years ago, after hearing about it at work (what else would you talk about whilst building a train?) It was the perfect gift and I eagerly wrote a blog post to share it ... then forgot to publish it. Oops. </div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times; font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times; font-size: small; line-height: normal;">I still think the Mathematician's Lament is very clever:</span></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.maa.org/external_archive/devlin/devlin_03_08.html">Lockhart's Lament</a></div>
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and <a href="http://www.maa.org/external_archive/devlin/devlin_05_08.html">Lockhart's Lament - The Sequel</a><br />
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Lockhart's Lament was published in a book in 2009, then in 2012 a second book by Lockhart, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Measurement-Paul-Lockhart/dp/0674057554/ref=wl_mb_hu_m_1_dp">Measurement</a>, was released ... perhaps an answer to the question of how to change the status quo. <br />
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What is it? According to Wikipedia, "<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><i><b>A Mathematician's Lament</b></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"> is a short book on the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mathematics_education" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; color: #0645ad; text-decoration: none;" title="Mathematics education">pedagogics</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"> and </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philosophy_of_mathematics" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; color: #0645ad; text-decoration: none;" title="Philosophy of mathematics">philosophy</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"> of </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mathematics" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; color: #0645ad; text-decoration: none;" title="Mathematics">mathematics</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"> by </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><a class="new" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Paul_Lockhart_(mathematician)&action=edit&redlink=1" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; color: #ba0000; text-decoration: none;" title="Paul Lockhart (mathematician) (page does not exist)">Paul Lockhart</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">, originally a research mathematician but for many years a math teacher at a private school. Characterised as a strongly-worded opinion piece arguing for an </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intuition_(psychology)" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; color: #0645ad; text-decoration: none;" title="Intuition (psychology)">intuitive</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"> and </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heuristic" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; color: #0645ad; text-decoration: none;" title="Heuristic">heuristic</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"> approach to teaching and the importance of mathematics teaching reforms, the book frames learning mathematics as an artistic and imaginative pursuit which is not reflected at all in the way the subject is taught in the American educational system."</span><br />
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Here's an enticing quote from page 3 of "Measurement": </div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">"I am going to assume that you love beautiful things and are curious to learn about them. The only things you will need on this journey are common sense and simple human curiosity. So relax. Art is to be enjoyed, and this is an art book. Math is not a race or a contest; it's just you playing with your own imagination. Have a wonderful time!"</span></i></div>
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I think mathematics is tremendous fun. I thought when I aced tests in Year 7, and when I happily battled through 4 unit maths in Year 12 with six classmates who would come over to do problems that took several pages to solve. At that stage it was mostly about 'the test', but our goofy teacher still made it seem fun. I felt quite disillusioned a month after our final exam when I realised I had already forgotten most of those abstract concepts, but I am still glad I had that opportunity to stretch my brain.<br />
<br />
I am revisiting the marvels of maths, thanks to my children ... with their iPads, <a href="http://www.khanacademy.org/math/recreational-math/vi-hart/hexaflexagons/v/hexaflexagons">Vi Hart videos</a>, <a href="http://www.mathacademy.com/pr/minitext/escher/big.asp?IMAGE=print_gallery">Escher posters</a> and a stack of brain-tickling maths books, the sky is the limit. I'll share a list of our favourite resources and book lists soon.<br />
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<a href="http://eideneurolearningblog.blogspot.com.au/2010/08/mathematicians-lament.html">This link</a> is worth a look ... it presents Lockhart's Lament with a cool video, 'metamorphosis of a cube'.<br />
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I will leave you with a quote from an article written by <a href="http://www.maa.org/external_archive/devlin/devlin_01_09.html">Keith Devlin</a> (whose column featured Lockhart's Lament) ...<br />
<br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d85c6;">"In fact, in the context of this country, bedeviled by the incessant math wars and the intense politicization of mathematics education that drives them, my view is that debate about the curriculum and the educational theory that drives it is a distraction best avoided (at least for now). To me the real issue facing us is a starkly simple one: Teacher education. No matter what the curriculum, and regardless of the psychological and educational theory it is built upon, <b>teaching comes down to one human being interacting with a number of (usually) younger, other human beings</b>. If that teacher does not <b>love what he or she is teaching, and</b> does not <b>understand it, deeply and profoundly</b>, then the results are simply not going to come. The solution? Attract the best and the brightest to become mathematics teachers, teach them well, pay them at a level commensurate with their training, skills, and responsibilities, and provide them with opportunities for continuous professional development. Just what we do in (for example) the medical or engineering professions. It's that simple."</span></i>Butterflyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04696049648997719529noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6320951907569210522.post-42794741484763498372013-09-12T00:36:00.001-07:002013-09-19T20:00:50.477-07:00More or less perfect planningPerfectionism can be paralysing. Just ask me. We started a unit study on Astronomy earlier this year. It might have been ok if I <i>just</i> planned to use Apologia, on it's own with a handful of library books. BUT as I often do, I got carried away. I collected a pile of terrific supplementary books and resources, like the Intelligo unit study, Magic School Bus lapbook, and bookmarked a dozen online activities and video clips. I put all the physical resources in a box ready to use, and moved on to planning the next subject. That was my first mistake. I LOVE planning, but to stay sane I need to organise my thoughts on paper. I rarely follow a plan, but I like to know there is a plan.<br />
<br />
I thought I was prepared. We jumped in and enjoyed the first few weeks, dipping into the books, loosely following Apologia's index as a sequence. It was all fun, until we made the planets. There's nothing wrong with our planets. The trouble is, I didn't know where to hang them. So they sat on a tray in a corner of the room. In the weeks that followed every time I thought about Astronomy, I saw those planets waiting for me. We did some more reading but I had lost my spark. It seems ridiculous, but they were like a big pause button that had jammed and stopped the show.<br />
<br />
It took me a few months to realise perfectionism was to blame for my procrastination. Thankfully, we worked out what to do about the planets. A solution that didn't involve holes in walls or ceilings.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7patHS1o_F0ID0G3fQ6XpO7Hd31R7vjIQfEev7rCGig15mZdka6779VHF8wr6eCreJmM_pIVzm5sftKEs1x7dwXOfDPqdzeOyNFzo7edoaQczHJEGhgH5-6M0hJjONSkfv2Xl-MsqTmk/s1600/IMG_5366.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7patHS1o_F0ID0G3fQ6XpO7Hd31R7vjIQfEev7rCGig15mZdka6779VHF8wr6eCreJmM_pIVzm5sftKEs1x7dwXOfDPqdzeOyNFzo7edoaQczHJEGhgH5-6M0hJjONSkfv2Xl-MsqTmk/s400/IMG_5366.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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We got back into Astronomy last week, and it's come alive again. I've also figured out some principles to help me move forward even when I feel stuck. Take a simple step. Do the next thing. If we miss something great, we can look at it later. Playful enthusiasm is probably more worthwhile than a dozen wonderful things we 'could' do but never get to for fear of not doing them right or in order. That makes me sound really stunted and regimented but actually I'm an ideas person who gets stuck now and then when too many ideas collide and get tangled.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #674ea7; font-style: italic;">Must I insist on everything being an eclectic feast of epic proportions? </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #674ea7; font-style: italic;">Enrichment is great but I think I take it too far sometimes. </span><br />
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<b>Perfectly Imperfect ...</b><br />
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It's not just astronomy. I did this last year with The Human Body, and our Trip Around the World. We stayed in Kenya for a term because it was so interesting, but then I felt bad that we wouldn't have time to visit other countries. "<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #674ea7;">So what?" says the voice of reason, "Be grateful that you had a wonderful time in Kenya."</span></i><br />
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Then after we explored Egypt for a while the "shoulds" barged in and stole my joy again ... we should do Egypt 'properly' ... there is so much we could read about, make, play, watch. I got carried away researching possibilities. And I started judging the value of what we did by how much we hadn't done, not by the great things we actually did. <br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #674ea7;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #674ea7;"><i>Tell me I'm not the only one who sometimes drowns in possibilities? </i></span><br />
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Speed is one solution to perfectionism ... I work best when I ad lib, when I quickly grab a few ideas and books and light a warm, cosy campfire to chat around. Give me too long to to plan, and collect tonnes of firewood but loose the spark. Like it or not, I get paralysed by perfectionism.<i style="color: #674ea7;"> </i><br />
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<b>I need to get back to the spark of an idea and provide <i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #674ea7;">just enough</span></i> fuel for a crackling bonfire ... cosy books, lively conversations, experiences and games.</b><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #674ea7;"><b>My planning needs to be MORE perfect ...</b></span><br />
- feverish collecting is fun but I need to save some spark for doing.<br />
- write up simple plans instead of trying to juggle ten exciting subjects in my head.<br />
- eclectic homeschooling and freedom are great, but <i>sometimes</i> it helps to have a map.<br />
- prepare ahead of time, but don't stress if we decide to miss some good things in favour of others. <br />
- like it or not (not), time is a finite resource; enjoy the freedom to skim the surface or dive deep.<br />
- accept that all choices have a price tag; don't get caught up in wishes and what ifs.<br />
- stick with the plan, at least some of the time.<br />
- use momentum to avoid getting paralysed by perfectionism.<br />
- if the kids know the plan includes melting chocolate with a magnifying glass, they will keep you accountable!<br />
- although our inspectors don't want to see detailed plans for <i>everything</i> we do, sometimes a unit study plan can help collate and condense an excellent, impossibly huge plan into an enjoyable, doable plan.<br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #674ea7;">and LESS perfect ...</span></b><br />
- use a few simple resources well, rather than drown in a bucketful of brilliant possibilities.<br />
- it doesn't matter if it's perfect, it matters that we <i>do</i> something and <i>have fun</i> doing it.<br />
- finish each step if possible, but ...<br />
- if that's too hard, move on confidently, without regret.<br />
<br />
Failing all that, ditch the plan! I knew why we left Egypt only half explored last year, and where we went instead (we needed to go home). We were there long enough to get a couple of snapshots, and we really enjoyed flying along the course of the Nile. We didn't see everything, and that's ok. We will probably go there again 'one day.' <br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #674ea7;"><b>We'll never be perfect ... not this side of heaven at least ... we're just enjoying being here, imperfectly but joyfully learning. As to WHAT we're learning, well that's actually pretty exciting. I will tell you all about it soon!</b></span><br />
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P.S. As a reward for anyone who read to the very end ... here's a link to another blog with some terrific tips for <a href="http://simplehomeschool.net/releasing-perfection/">releasing yourself from the trap of perfection</a>. Enjoy!Butterflyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04696049648997719529noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6320951907569210522.post-13876089193150951272013-09-01T05:55:00.002-07:002013-09-19T20:01:48.778-07:00Taming the Paperwork MonsterThere's a paperwork monster in my house and it's making life difficult ...<br />
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<b>Situation report</b> <i>(evidence of the monster's existence): </i><br />
1. Piles of paper all over the desk.<br />
2. There are huge 'sort out later' paper piles on the school/sun/dining room floor.<br />
3. Several shopping bags full of homeless resource books are lined up next to a cupboard.<br />
4. My filing drawer is never opened as it's full of old paperwork.<br />
5. Digital devices are also under attack: emails, bookmarks and items saved to desktop are accumulating at an alarmingly rate.<br />
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Input is multiplying at an alarming rate, while action, disposal and filing are floundering in the depths of procrastination and perfectionism (more about <i>those</i> characters another day).<br />
<br />
I know why this happens. I like collecting ideas. Resources. Information. I greedily read and save, bookmark and sometimes print. Books are heavily tagged with post it notes. I scribble on several notepad pages a day (despite having a ridiculous number of journals for every possible need). <br />
I have a pinterest account, online reading list and Facebook articles tagged to revisit 'later'. All are kept with good intentions (education, enrichment and inspiration) ... but maybe that's what hoarders say about how their collections of newspaper, tyres or jars started. <br />
<br />
I LIKE having lots of ideas, but there must be a better way to manage them!<br />
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Now, I have made myself sound terribly messy. Here's the dining table (very versatile, it is also our art studio, science lab and writer's den) ... half-organised, half-messy, half-visible on a sorting day a month ago:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh83vug99hKKqCjKnT1OC8HNG8G-ndF-UgkDmtIjxGWN05J8KQqdAsyb4Esb8vcQ1OBtjPqUU8tqwNRqfyvbMB-MsF6YXQSl4KxY-YP0dgxAkrSjNoBgoG2i3GDhl_4a1TIrLsrvCITdcM/s1600/IMG_5181.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh83vug99hKKqCjKnT1OC8HNG8G-ndF-UgkDmtIjxGWN05J8KQqdAsyb4Esb8vcQ1OBtjPqUU8tqwNRqfyvbMB-MsF6YXQSl4KxY-YP0dgxAkrSjNoBgoG2i3GDhl_4a1TIrLsrvCITdcM/s320/IMG_5181.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I considered and dismissed some easy options: </div>
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<strike><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #45818e;">run away from the mess</span></strike></div>
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<strike><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #45818e;">delegate the decluttering</span></strike></div>
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<strike><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #45818e;">toss it all in the bin</span></strike></div>
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<b>Then I googled "homeschool how to tame the paperwork monster" ...</b></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.kkms.com/homeschool/11623011/print/">Taming the paper monster</a></div>
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<a href="http://iheartorganizing.blogspot.com.au/2012/02/superstar-study-box.html">Superstar study box</a></div>
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<a href="http://management.about.com/od/yourself/a/DesktopMonster9.htm">Desktop Monster</a></div>
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These links were enough to encourage me it IS possible to evict the paperwork monster. I am starting to form a plan. I don't want a formal system ... I like to do things spontaneously, creatively and playfully. <br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d85c6;">I just to consider the desired outcome, allocate time and space to the initial (mammoth) task, and develop better daily habits.</span></b><br />
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I don't want to drown in a sea of possibilities that started with a harmless drip. I do want to catch up on important paperwork that's been lost in transit for years, and enjoy a tidier future. Of course, I also want to be a better role model for my children and a tidier companion for my organised husband.<br />
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<b>I WILL tame the homeschool paperwork monster!</b><br />
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P.S. Progress has been made since I drafted this ... I was left at home alone yesterday for several hours (gasp!) Lots of filing, sorting, dusting, recycling and sorting were done. Hooray! <br />
Items 2 and 3 have been eliminated! The monster is beating a hasty retreat. Next target: the desk.Butterflyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04696049648997719529noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6320951907569210522.post-49665257144698115992013-08-11T18:39:00.003-07:002013-09-19T20:04:09.200-07:00Book Club fun!A favourite game at our place is 'libraries' ... the children set up a borrowing desk, library cards and book displays. After buying over <a href="http://chrysalisisland.blogspot.com.au/2013/08/a-hundred-books-for-hundred-dollars.html" target="_blank">a hundred new books</a> yesterday, I was not at all surprised when a book club sprang up this morning!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0PFdEfMXT-4qmI6HJUSQD2lbcG-2b-e5YIXVcuUSc_GJhUFVjd4afWhfgrlqw1oVx8echqjy6NwtEmGaikMrq0cTUZYCdsdDu9swx24MQQpes4xu9bBpssFIK4N4QgTFQzRXOkNINSjc/s1600/IMG_5265.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0PFdEfMXT-4qmI6HJUSQD2lbcG-2b-e5YIXVcuUSc_GJhUFVjd4afWhfgrlqw1oVx8echqjy6NwtEmGaikMrq0cTUZYCdsdDu9swx24MQQpes4xu9bBpssFIK4N4QgTFQzRXOkNINSjc/s320/IMG_5265.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />
<i><u>Bookclub Guide (according to Elijah, 9)</u></i><br />
- Entry costs 5 cents, or buy a 132 day season pass for $1.00 ... bargain!<br />
- Customers receive a membership card showing their first name, ID number and a tally of attendance.<br />
- Ages 5 plus are welcome ... children under 5 can come but must be accompanied by someone over 5.<br />
- You can bring books to read or share.<br />
- The shop is open when the music is playing (currently playing Jack Johnson Curious George soundtrack)<br />
- Pram parking and comfortable seating is available.Butterflyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04696049648997719529noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6320951907569210522.post-25785906582040667322013-08-11T18:34:00.000-07:002013-09-19T20:07:27.881-07:00A hundred books for a hundred dollars!We always look forward to the local University used book sale. This year we went twice. Here is what we came home with (so far ... it continues all week):<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9N-p9kjP4corVCzZbfn95bMHi3k5xZvRbDyPS2Bymaxx6o7jWivLF0aBfDjfSmA1h4zorcbuGz40j8y1JDHcmmP0tpuOAcD39zA4lXl49479cuA2ayVjmssJnd1maVlgFvDKHtjOw5t4/s1600/IMG_5249.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9N-p9kjP4corVCzZbfn95bMHi3k5xZvRbDyPS2Bymaxx6o7jWivLF0aBfDjfSmA1h4zorcbuGz40j8y1JDHcmmP0tpuOAcD39zA4lXl49479cuA2ayVjmssJnd1maVlgFvDKHtjOw5t4/s320/IMG_5249.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl_2-KSPRGACLqCc1nS4JIEmz0MWnapVaVFyoygkDpEmyGAg2fMs09rqwKufC0E9YVZ754Lc7NUStZohKnKgfZs_Zx56o8mPZVM4eQ91yqhKl3QYPL1W-znN5v8xTyVKa9wOmWIoX6Pf0/s1600/IMG_5250.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl_2-KSPRGACLqCc1nS4JIEmz0MWnapVaVFyoygkDpEmyGAg2fMs09rqwKufC0E9YVZ754Lc7NUStZohKnKgfZs_Zx56o8mPZVM4eQ91yqhKl3QYPL1W-znN5v8xTyVKa9wOmWIoX6Pf0/s320/IMG_5250.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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First we took our children and their friend. They spent an hour searching the children's book tables while I was at the teacher resources table next to them. We each found a bag full of books, and still had change to use in the other resources room (treasures found there included some springy chains for my gadget boy, maps, CDs and posters). None of the children exceeded their $5 budget ... though I would have let them! My husband found a few reference books which he will enjoy reading.<br />
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After a quick break at home I went back alone. Again I gravitated towards the children's books, and added five more bulging shopping bags to the morning's purchases. <br />
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At the last minute I found some fiction (not shown) and other inspiring books for myself.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihJOPNkMBTwYOBMNwpBiF_NcD30AJlFafN5zl_3sRjcD3F9qPKxzfs6KPBKpYzrkFITSaLbJE9SbkZ_2b2suhU_yz_L4nEnHgjt9IexZH0mctpbRWR1ykTVduwRIfngvs9Hhc4nql3CMU/s1600/IMG_5256.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihJOPNkMBTwYOBMNwpBiF_NcD30AJlFafN5zl_3sRjcD3F9qPKxzfs6KPBKpYzrkFITSaLbJE9SbkZ_2b2suhU_yz_L4nEnHgjt9IexZH0mctpbRWR1ykTVduwRIfngvs9Hhc4nql3CMU/s320/IMG_5256.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Here's a clearer view of some of our purchases:</span><br />
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Stories I have seen in the Sonlight catalogue or other booklists. I would probably have them bought online ... today they cost 20 to 50 cents each.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL3wIIsmlURXFu9oQiorZMGigQwshAE6G8Ej9cTmWxbeCDVpk-C0QgDtC71mUp4Wzhc7MZHCkdF1GkbAms60YWQ_k1VDqC7c5xaCbFAQQ7-LHwdnzHKEGOBlCkjotyJN1j-28poLxxTVQ/s1600/IMG_5253.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL3wIIsmlURXFu9oQiorZMGigQwshAE6G8Ej9cTmWxbeCDVpk-C0QgDtC71mUp4Wzhc7MZHCkdF1GkbAms60YWQ_k1VDqC7c5xaCbFAQQ7-LHwdnzHKEGOBlCkjotyJN1j-28poLxxTVQ/s320/IMG_5253.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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A packet of terrific posters relevant to our current interests (solar system, times tables, Bible times, world map, human body) and ancient world maps of what people thought the world looked like. <br />
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A stack of books by Cynthia Voigt, one of my favourite authors as a teen.<br />
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Books which will be useful once in a while ... including a huge new book of poems for our Poetry Teatimes!<br />
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How Things Work, World History books and Did You Know ... books which have Elijah telling us interesting facts day and night (he's always like that, these are just extra ammunition)<br />
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A terrific joke book which Jasmine read to us last night ... the jokes were actually funny.<br />
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I also bought 4 books in the Think-Matics series, a Star Wars picture book, Far Side calendar (one day we'll have fun making up our own captions for the pictures), 3 CDs, a Roman Times activity book and Solar System activity book, and a two volume big-book children's medical encyclopaedia. I am impressed with the quality ... many of these books are in excellent condition, and the ex-library ones are pretty clean and undamaged with only a few signs of age.<br />
<br />
Can anyone guess what we'll be doing for the rest of today (aside from buying a new bookshelf and finding a place for it)?Butterflyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04696049648997719529noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6320951907569210522.post-68363562075183239072013-08-08T07:14:00.003-07:002013-09-19T20:05:41.940-07:00iPad apps for 8 and 9 year oldsWe have an iPad and an iPad mini ... when the children started saving a couple of years ago they both intended to buy laptop computers. We agreed to pay half. After months of counting and calculating, the time came and both chose iPads. We are really glad they did!<br />
<br />
<b>Our Favourite Apps</b><br />
<br />
We learn plenty through games, and we have fun playing with <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">education tools</span>. The lines between learning and fun are delightfully blurry!<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Open Sans', tahoma, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394;">These are all pretty good apps, but those marked </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">*</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394;"> are frequently used and </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Open Sans', tahoma, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">** </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394;">are current favourites</span></span></span><br />
<div style="color: #5a5a5a; font-family: 'Open Sans', tahoma, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>- Squeebles Maths (KeyStageFun) <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"> **</span></i></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>- Dress Up Princess (Hooda Math)</i></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>- Targeting Maths 3 and 5 (Blake) <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">*</span></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>- Fun Soccer Math (Nghi Lee)<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"> **</span></i></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>- Tell the Time (Playerthree)</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>- Math Drills (Instant Interactive)<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"> *</span></i></span><br />
<br />
<div style="line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>- PopMath Maths (AppBlit)<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"> *</span></i></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>- Ken Ken Classic (maths logic game) <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"> **</span></i></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>- Conceptis Hashi (Conceptis Ltd)</i></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>- Speed! (Jeffrey Norkoli) <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"> **</span></i></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>- Maths Trainer (Shalk)</i></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>- Maths Songs Times Tables (1x-6x and 7x-12x)</i></span></div>
</div>
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>- Spelling 1-2 (School Zone)<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"> **</span></i></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>- Spellosaur<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"> *</span></i></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>- This Week's Words (Simulant)</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>- Word Jigsaw (Megafauna software)</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>- Phonics Genius <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"> **</span></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>- SpeakEasy French (Pocketglow)</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>- Kids Apps (13 in 1)</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>- Where in the World (UConnect)<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"> **</span></i></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>- Bridge Construction (Headup Games)<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"> *</span></i></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>- Bright Puzzles HD (Bright Idea Software)<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"> *</span></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>- Learn the World (Merge Mobile)<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"> **</span></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>- JamPad Plus (H2indie)<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"> *</span></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>- Sketchbook Pro (Autodesk)</i></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>- iLuv Drawing People (MyVijan)</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>- Drawing Pad</i></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>- Read and Listen Now Bible KJV HD (Handech)<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"> **</span></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>- SimpleMind+ (xpt)</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>- Notability (GingerLabs)</i></span></div>
<div style="color: #5a5a5a; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">IF you want <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">role play games</span>, my children vote for:</span><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span">- My Horse </span>(Natural Motion) ... they get a pet horse without the mess! <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"> **</span></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>- Survival Craft <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"> **</span></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>- Townsmen</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>- Tiny Sheep<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"> </span></i></span></div>
<div style="color: #5a5a5a; font-family: 'Open Sans', tahoma, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Other <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">favourite games</span> include:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>- Harbor Master HD (Imangi)</i></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>- Flow Free (Big Duck)<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"> **</span></i></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>- Banana Kong (FDG)</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>- Angry Birds HD</i></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>- Motorbike HD (baKno Games)<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"> **</span></i></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>- Mahjong (Byterun)<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"> *</span></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>- Mouse Maze</i></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>- Montezuma Puzzle (ECO Pawel)</i></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>- Square-Off Game (SchoolZone)</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>- Memory (Irena Schens)<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"> **</span></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>- Cut the Rope</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>- Jump Birdy Jump (Ovogame)</i></span><br />
<div style="font-family: 'Open Sans', tahoma, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">New</span> arrivals, untested:</span><br />
<div style="font-family: 'Open Sans', tahoma, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>- Star Walk HD (Vito) - astronomy</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>- Planets (Q Continuum) - astronomy</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>- Strip Designer (Vivid) - cartoon making</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>- BrainPOP</i></span></div>
<br />
I haven't had to set limits for use ... except for myself! We don't have a TV (only DVD and online viewing) so screen time isn't too much of an issue, and we have too many other interests to spend too much time staring at little screens. We usually leave the WiFi turned OFF, but sometimes connect to use our <a href="http://chrysalisisland.blogspot.com.au/2013/08/organising-online-resources-with-weebly.html" target="_blank">Weebly site</a> (a collection of all our online tools), for which I have created a desktop bookmark for easy access. <br />
<br />
I would like a better writing app than our current Notes app ... preferably one with formatting options and somehow easy to share with the desktop computer. If you have a suggestion please leave me a comment.<br />
<br />
These cute little tablets have paid for themselves educationally and they add to the family fun!<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
-------------------&---------------------</div>
<br />
A little extra waffle in case anyone is deciding what to buy, or wonders<br />
<b>why we choose iPads ...</b><br />
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">* I already share my lovely iMac and little ASUS netbook.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">* Lightweight, handheld tablets are easy to use anywhere (usually on the lounge).</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">* The iPad combines loads of functionality in a tiny machine ... games, writing, art, movies, music, camera and video. Games for fun and education were a priority.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">* It's super easy and inexpensive (often free) to add new apps.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">* Both children are keen writers. For portable word processing the onscreen keyboards are fine. Keyboard cases create a virtual laptop when desired.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">* We were slightly concerned about the smaller screen size of the mini for games and movies, but I changed my mind after trying it in the shop.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">* It's easy to turn WiFi on and off to control internet access.</span></div>
Butterflyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04696049648997719529noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6320951907569210522.post-79618834415659301952013-08-06T03:07:00.001-07:002013-09-19T20:06:48.488-07:00Brave Writer<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Brave Writer has helped me see the big picture when it comes to Language Arts. </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://www.bravewriter.com/program/home-study-courses/the-writers-jungle/" target="_blank">The Writer's Jungle</a> taught me how to understand the real stages children go through as writers and introduced me to a gentle, living and wonderful way to mentor my young writers. I knew it would suit me as soon as </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 13px;">I read free online extracts like this ... </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 13px;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px;"><i>"It’s my hope that you’ll come to love your young writer and his particular jungle in a whole new way. By traveling together, I want to point out the irises you’ve been missing. There’s a world of insight, creativity and passion in your children that writing is meant to capture. By taking some new trails, I hope to lead you to that secret place."</i> (<a href="http://www.bravewriter.com/program/home-study-courses/the-writers-jungle/introduction#sthash.ixQmcDuY.dpuf" target="_blank">See more</a>) </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 13px;"> </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The Brave Writer blog and emails are full of ideas for nurturing writers, developing skills and showing how this writing philosophy translates into reality. Brave Writer is a flexible resource which complements our eclectic, relaxed, book-loving, individualised approach to home ed. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 13px;">I want to write all about how our BraveWriter lifestyle works, what resources we use and what my brave young writers actually do, but it could take a while (I really like what we do but I worry about sounding like an infomercial!) </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 13px;">This week I wrote</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 13px;"> a little article about our <a href="http://blog.bravewriter.com/2013/08/06/tuesday-teatime-with-a-pot-of-red-tulips/" target="_blank">Poetry Teatimes</a> for</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 13px;"> the Brave Writer blog. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 13px;">Fortunately I took photos before we sat down together ... hence the momentarily tidy table!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 13px;"> </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: tahoma, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13px;"><br /></span></span>Butterflyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04696049648997719529noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6320951907569210522.post-20332325584898211512013-08-04T18:11:00.002-07:002013-09-19T20:09:26.183-07:00Everything to do with dough and goo!My toddlers loved playdough. We had two types ... homemade and bought. We also baked bread, mostly in the name of edible art, and used air-drying clay, Fimo and plasticine. That was a lifetime ago, before our world exploded with ideas on blogs and facebook and pinterest <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">(a lot has changed in </span>5 years!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">)</span><br />
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My children may not be toddlers anymore but we love to play (and share the experience with young friends ... who may just decide to bathe in oobleck ... luckily they were outside and the baby was asleep!) We have thoroughly enjoyed finding recipes for many types of dough and goo ... enjoy!</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow;"><b><i style="background-color: magenta;">Let's get messy!</i></b></span></div>
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Here are some types of dough and goo we have made or will make:</div>
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Oobleck ... <a href="http://www.momto2poshlildivas.com/2012/03/dr-seuss-oobleck.html" target="_blank">Seuss Oobleck</a> is a fun version!</div>
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<a href="http://www.learnwithplayathome.com/2012/06/cloud-dough.html" target="_blank">Cloud Dough</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.funathomewithkids.com/2013/05/golden-glitter-slime-and-dragons.html" target="_blank">Golden glitter slime</a></div>
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<a href="http://fairydustteaching.com/2011/05/galaxy-playdough/" target="_blank">Galaxy playdough</a></div>
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<a href="http://msooey.tumblr.com/post/19700001418/a-new-kind-of-goo" target="_blank">Shaving cream goop</a></div>
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<a href="http://totschool.shannons.org/bubble-dough/" target="_blank">Bubble dough</a> (see <a href="http://www.creativeplayhouse.mumsinjersey.co.uk/2013/02/bubble-dough.html" target="_blank">also</a>)</div>
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<a href="http://messypreschoolers.blogspot.com.au/2011/07/no-four-playdough.html" target="_blank">Silky dough</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.modernparentsmessykids.com/2013/01/making-snowmen-inside.html" target="_blank">Indoor Snow</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.creativeplayhouse.mumsinjersey.co.uk/2013/02/one-minute-playdough.html" target="_blank">One minute playdough</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.thechocolatemuffintree.com/2012/01/two-kinds-of-snow-dough.html" target="_blank">Snow dough</a> (more <a href="http://mamapapabubba.com/2013/01/01/snow-dough-for-4/" target="_blank">cute pictures</a>)</div>
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<a href="http://www.thechocolatemuffintree.com/2011/06/microwave-kool-aid-play-dough.html" target="_blank">Kool-Aid microwave dough</a> (what's the Aussie version of Kool-Aid?)</div>
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<a href="http://www.momto2poshlildivas.com/2012/01/flubber-gak-fun.html" target="_blank">Flubber Gak!</a><br />
<a href="http://mamapapabubba.com/2013/08/01/sweet-stretchy-edible-marshmallow-dough/" target="_blank">Marshmallow dough, stretchy & edible</a></div>
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<b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Want more? </span></i></b></div>
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On <a href="http://www.momto2poshlildivas.com/search/label/Mad%20Science%20Theme" target="_blank">THIS blog</a> you'll find out how to make an ivory soap explosion & homemade bouncing balls.</div>
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<a href="http://pinterest.com/corbettlinda/play-dough-cloud-dough-slime-fun/" target="_blank">Here is a HUGE collection</a> of incredible ideas like icecream dough, cake dough, DIY foam, rainbow slime, silly sludge, black cloud dough, moon sand, soap fluff, borax-free Gak and sidewalk goo paint.</div>
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When you've exhausted all the options for slime, goo and dough, it would be fun to revisit the original, <a href="http://messypreschoolers.blogspot.com.au/2011/02/playdough-more-then-squishy-fun.html" target="_blank">home-made playdough</a> which can be used with all kinds of <a href="http://messypreschoolers.blogspot.com.au/2011/11/30-days-to-hands-on-play-play-dough.html" target="_blank">other materials</a> for colourful, sweet-smelling <a href="http://www.thechocolatemuffintree.com/2011/09/pipe-cleaners-googly-eyes-and-play.html" target="_blank">creative play</a>.</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Warning!</b></span></div>
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We accidentally bought <a href="http://tinkerlab.com/experiment-making-fake-snow/" target="_blank">something like this</a> at a <a href="http://onestopsensoryshop.com.au/" target="_blank">Sensory shop</a>, and I would NOT recommend it ... the children loved it of course! <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red; font-size: x-small;">(it was incredibly hard to clean up ... sprinkling generously with salt helped a little)</span></div>
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Who needs a reason to delight in dough and goo?! But if you must have an excuse to explore goo with 8-9 year olds, consider: fine motor skills, chemistry, physics, measurement, vocabulary, inspiration for writing and pure FUN!</div>
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Butterflyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04696049648997719529noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6320951907569210522.post-68964768884375535392013-08-01T18:34:00.003-07:002013-09-19T20:08:31.528-07:00Organising online resources with Weebly<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;">Do your links get lost in the land of many bookmarks? </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;">We can sift through 50 bookmark folders to find the link we need, but that's not so quick or easy for young children ... and with so many online educational resources available, the bookmarks tab soon overflows. To rescue our links I created a</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"> <a href="http://individualised.weebly.com/" target="_blank"><span class="searchlite" style="font-size: 14px;">Weebly</span> website</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;"> ... it's a fun way to round up the numerous online resources my children have access to. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: tahoma, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><u><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394;">Here's what I did:</span></i></u></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: tahoma, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">* Named our Weebly site.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: tahoma, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">* Chose a basic layout, background picture and style from the free options.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: tahoma, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">* Organised our online resources by subject, using drop-down menus and hyperlinks. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: tahoma, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">* Added a text box with ideas of fun things to do and other reminders, easily updated.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: tahoma, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">* Made the final menu </span>(on the dashboard) a list without links ... just text to remind us of other apps we use on the computer. </div>
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* Made a card for the children with usernames and passwords for sites which require special access.</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: tahoma, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">The initial setup took me a few hours, but it now saves us time and allows the children to use the computer more independently. </span><br />
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<u><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394;">Easy to access:</span></i></u></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: tahoma, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">I made our Weebly page super-easy to find by creating a shortcut tab on my Safari browser bar ... simply clicking the word </span>'KIDS'<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: tahoma, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"> </span> takes us straight to our Weebly page. One happy customer said, <i>"I love it! You can easily get to links you'd otherwise have to research and you could accidentally get to a website where you buy something!"</i></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: tahoma, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><u><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394;">Keeping the page up to date:</span></i></u></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: tahoma, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">I created a bookmark folder labelled "Add to Weebly". </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;">Any time I see something worth adding, I save a bookmark in that folder, then once a month or so (or as needed) I edit our Weebly site to add new links, write ideas and reminders. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: tahoma, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">I gave myself a shortcut tab to access the Weebly editing page so I'd have no reason to avoid this task </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: tahoma, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">(if you have sharp eyes you may see it in my grey bookmarks bar, 'Weebly V')</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;">!</span></span></div>
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<u><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394;">Your turn:</span></i></u></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;">If you'd like to create a Weebly website for your children, check out <a href="http://www.funschooling.net/2012/07/using-weebly-to-centralize-learning.html" target="_blank">Suji's excellent how-to guide</a> which inspired me to do this last year</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d85c6;">. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;">Let <a href="http://www.weebly.com/" target="_blank">your own Weebly adventure</a> begin.</span><br />
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Have fun and let me know how it goes!</div>
<br />Butterflyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04696049648997719529noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6320951907569210522.post-9972876782624047282012-10-23T22:05:00.001-07:002013-09-19T20:16:33.862-07:00Look UP!When things are tough and storm clouds block the sun.<br />
When too much thinking is sending you in circles and you feel dizzy. <br />
When memories of Egypt make you sick. <br />
When the future is vague and decision making is daunting. <br />
When life seems vain, heavy, pointless or just plain hard. <br />
When you've forgotten why you're here and where you're supposed to be going. <br />
When you know the destination but somehow you've lost the way.<br />
When the way seems too steep or is covered in fog. <br />
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<b>Where do you look?</b><br />
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Self help books, psychologists, friends, hugs, stories, inspiring quotes ... these are the tools of our world, and we <i>hope</i> they'll help us make sense of confusion, depression, anxiety, fear.<br />
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<b>Danger! Be careful where you look!</b><br />
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Don't look back ... blame, regret, shame, guilt ... a futile archaeological dig through the past<br />
Don't look forward ... ambition, striving, anxiety, dread<br />
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Don't look in ... analysing, over-thinking, worrying, feeling inadequate</div>
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Don't look out ... searching for an easy fix, Knight in shining armour, mirage, million$</div>
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Don't look around ... comparing, coveting, fearing, judging, wishing<br />
Don't look away ... avoiding, procrastinating, escaping, wasting life<br />
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<b>LOOK UP ... to the Lord who knows you better than you know yourself!</b><br />
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">Psalm 121: 1-2 "I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth."</span></i><br />
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<b>A story</b> ... I was always very good at getting muddled up in reflection and introspection, and thought myself into confusion and condemnation. <i>That's how I know</i> about the traps involved in looking back, forward, in, out, around and away!<br />
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When I didn't feel worthy, no amount of praise from others made me feel like I was 'enough'. Thankfully the Lord showed me a better way. A year or two ago when everything should have been rosy, I was still quite bothered by ups and downs. One day when I found myself in a deep, dark hole of seasonal depression, I went to bed to pour my heavy heartedness onto the pages of my journal. I felt guilty, knowing I was focusing on myself, but I grumpily thought, "I don't even feel strong enough to pray or read my Bible!" </div>
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The Lord nudged me though, with a gentle reminder, "Here I am" ... feeling somewhat petulant, I decided I would just open my Bible <i>before writing in my journal</i>. </div>
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With that simple act, a switch was flicked! The darkness was fading. Momentarily I was frustrated that I wouldn't be able to capture the blackness in words ... but quickly I tossed aside that silly thought, and realised it was a blessing. The Lord had thrown me a lifeline and a torch! </div>
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The Lord showed me then that my mind can be a trap, tangling me in lies, but in <i>His Words</i> I have truth and freedom, assurance, and the peace that passes understanding. That day, I searched out His promises in my Bible. I stopped sulking and prayed even though it was hard to start. And I took comfort in verses like this gem: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;">Galatians 2:20 "</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me."</span></span></i></span></div>
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He has planted this experience in my memory now, like a nifty short-circuit. If I feel things crowding in, I <i>KNOW</i> that if I just look at Him, He will do the rest. He will give me rest.</div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">Psalm 121: 1-2 "I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth."</span></i><br />
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<br />Butterflyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04696049648997719529noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6320951907569210522.post-65250610359851800362012-10-09T22:49:00.000-07:002013-09-19T20:12:59.223-07:00Interesting bytesJust taking a moment to share some of the interesting bits and pieces taking place here recently!<br />
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We had a wonderful time at an <b>athletics carnival</b> <strike>this week</strike> last term. The kids actually participated instead of shying out at the last minute! No pressure, they just loved being with their friends and went in running races, long jump (J. won a ribbon), high jump, tug of war, hurdles, throwing and novelty events. I'd love to share the group photo, but can't be bothered asking a hundred people for permission!<br />
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Obviously inspired by watching lots of Bear Grylls shows this year, the kids created a <b>water filter</b> using things they found in the yard and an old t-shirt. They did it all while I was inside answering an email ... earlier they'd decided to wash toys and scrub pavers just for fun! They mixed muddy water in a pit they dug in the gravel path, and I heard one child comment that it still tasted a bit dirty after the filtering process ... at that point I joined the conversation to say that although their filter might be great, there could unfortunately be pesticides or chemicals in the ground in which they mixed their water (we live in suburbia). I didn't manage to catch it on camera. They are keen to go camping so they can try out some other bush survival skills ... shelters and fire I can get excited about, but I'm <i>not</i> keen to replicate scenes involving snakes, bodily fluids, carcasses or knives!<br />
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A friend lent us an <a href="http://shop.abc.net.au/products/richard-hammond-engineering-connections-series-2" target="_blank"><b>Engineering Connections</b> DVD</a>, in which Richard Hammond reveals the secrets behind some well known super-structures. We spent several days last term learning about bridges, photographing and drawing them and building models ... the DVD increased our understanding of engineering exponentially!<br />
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Inspired by <a href="http://www.funschooling.net/2012/07/using-weebly-to-centralize-learning.html" target="_blank">Suji</a>, I created a free <b>Weebly website</b> to organise links to the websites the kids use. The kids can now click on THEIR page, and easily access whatever they need to via neat drop down menus, organised mostly by subject. MUCH easier and cuter than our shared, crowded Safari bookmark bar.<br />
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We discovered <a href="http://storybird.com/" target="_blank"><b>Storybird</b></a>, which is a fun site where you choose from heaps of awesome artwork to illustrate stories you create. I set up a 'school' for my family, where we have a class library of the stories we write using Storybird. It's FUN!<br />
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E. and I went to <b>Kid's Camp</b> during the holidays ... 5 days of crazy fun and fellowship for about 60 Year 3-6 kids. I was surrogate Mum for 5 delightful Year 3 girls, whilst E. shared a dorm with 8 other 8-9 year old boys! Not a lot of sleep was had, but the fun included dawn walks, Gala Night plays, elective activities like Survivor, Bootcamp, Chocolate Making, Beading; a photo challenge. The Olympics involved lots of water games ... and a flouro porridge war! <br />
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I have been reading a stack of highly recommended Home Ed. books ... they deserve (and shall have) a post all of their own. <br />
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Our days have been rich in recipe invention, books shared, Bible reading, bike rides & impromptu picnics, family, friends and fellowship. We're all full of energy and loving the warm, sunny days of Spring. <br />
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How are things at your place?<br />
<br />Butterflyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04696049648997719529noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6320951907569210522.post-1530883985487714652012-07-17T06:38:00.001-07:002013-09-19T20:16:15.709-07:00I'm Back!Here's a little hello from me. For a few months I needed to sleep more than write, but I'm feeling great again! I just thought I'd warn you that I might get a little excited to be back into writing here again. Here's why I was away. I'll write about more interesting things and post photos another day :)<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">Fortunately</span> ... I turned 30 something in May. Umm, calculating ... 37. I'm blessed with forgetfulness!! Easier to remember, Elijah turned 8 and Jasmine 7. They delight me every day, and I'm so glad to have time to just savour their words, soft cheeks, cheeky giggles and sincere debates. It's all a marvel.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #6fa8dc;">Unfortunately</span> ... at age 37 I felt like I'd passed my peak (sounds pathetic, but true) because I was always SO tired. I got sick too, with a respiratory infection or virus that lasted most of two months. It became hard to cook, clean, or even read aloud, and I was starting to think if we couldn't find the cause I might have to accept that a change of pace was God's plan for me (in hindsight, I guess it was, for a time). I considered looking at back up plans for the kid's education. Like s-s-school, with someone who might be awake and energetic. <br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">Fortunately</span> ... I had an 'ok' day here and there, enough to manage. The kids were fine apart from sick of having a sick Mummy. Pete was great (though exhausted from doing so much after work). Even on bad days, I accepted that I had to rest, and stayed in bed and read the Bible, scribbled notes, let the kids play, slept and enjoyed the kids talking and reading to me.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #6fa8dc;">Unfortunately</span> ... for the second month, the kids had it too (no-one seems to know what IT was). Then Pete. The worst headaches, pains and coughs we can recall. It was a nasty bug!! <br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">Fortunately</span> ... as I found out sometime in the midst of that, I have Hashimotos Thyroiditis and anaemia, and now they're being treated I feel normal again, which is more than I hoped for. Really, I was just praying to live. <i>Thank you Lord for allowing that!! </i>I've also cut out foods that make me feel sick (not much, just gluten, dairy, oats, coconut and a few minor things) and so I have energy again <i>and</i> I feel really well.<br />
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Please excuse my possible verbosity. <br />
I'm just a tad glad to be back!Butterflyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04696049648997719529noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6320951907569210522.post-37752518663871369432012-04-23T00:12:00.000-07:002013-09-19T20:10:25.292-07:00ANZAC Day books, pages and interactive sites<br />
It will be ANZAC day on 25th April, and it's the first time we're really going into it much with the children. These are the resources I chose to use with my 6 and 7 year old - of course check them first by yourself to make sure you think they're suitable.<br />
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<b>Books:</b> I'll share these with the children a few times. I won't write book reviews as I don't have time, and <a href="http://ohpeacefulday.blogspot.com.au/2012/04/picture-books-for-anzac-day-updated.html">Jeanne</a> does it so well anyway ... follow her link if you want to see book covers and read enticing details!</div>
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DD6 and DS7 <i>- "Why are they marching, Daddy?" by Di Burke</i></div>
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<i> - "What was the war like, Grandma?" by Rachel Tonkin</i></div>
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<i> - "My Grandad marches on Anzac Day" by Catriona Hoy</i></div>
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DS7 only - <i>"A Day to remember" by Jackie French</i></div>
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For the last few weeks DS7 has also been reading a chapter book with his Dad, a fictionalised account of the whole life of Simpson's Donkey: <i>"Simpson's Donkey - A wartime journey to Gallipoli and beyond" by Peter Stanley</i>. This was his own choice, but so timely!</div>
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<b>Interactive activities:</b> <br />
<a href="http://www.anzacday.org.au/interactives/childhood/">Flags of countries involved in WW1 and WW2, uniforms, Anzac puzzles & captions, women in war</a><br />
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<b>Printable Pages:</b><br />
<a href="http://www.k-3teacherresourcesmembers.com/free_downloads/anzac-day-words-NSW.pdf">Printable ANZAC vocab cards K-3</a><br />
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and I may use some materials from the following pages, but haven't previewed them yet:<br />
<a href="http://www.catrionahoy.com.au/html/my_grandad_marches_on_anzac_da.html">Activities to accompany "My Grandad marches on Anzac Day"</a><br />
<a href="https://fuse.education.vic.gov.au/pages/View.aspx?id=871e382e-0c84-4e88-9d89-6a1e3b05eae8&Source=%252fpages%252fResults.aspx%253fs%253dResources">Victorian education page</a><br />
<a href="http://www.anzacday.org.au/education/childhood/default.htm">Early childhood resources</a><br />
<a href="http://www.awm.gov.au/commemoration/anzac/">Australian War Memorial</a><br />
<a href="http://www.teachthis.com.au/products/view-category/link/ANZAC-Day/id/26/">Printables, these look good</a><br />
<a href="http://www.anzacwebsites.com/">Word searches, crosswords and more interactives/ printables on various Anzac themes</a><br />
<a href="http://www.scool.scholastic.com.au/schoolzone/toolkit/anzac_day_symbols_lower.pdf">Scholastic wordsearch & activity</a><br />
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I saved <a href="http://www.anzacday.gov.au/">this link</a> for possible use in the future.<br />
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DS7 is going to a dawn service, but DD6 will only watch the later march on TV as she's very sensitive to noise. We'll make Anzac Biscuits of course! I've lost my recipe but hope the one I found online will be as soft and chewy as it claims. I hope to get around to a timeline and mapping activity too ... and we're sharing family stories of course, the few that we know.Butterflyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04696049648997719529noreply@blogger.com3