A MODERN DAY ESSENE

What a week

2010-05-03T04:21:00.000-07:00

What a week!
I began a fast last week and had a long prayer list. God managed to answer the major problem but gosh, he sure knows how to do things with a bang! I'm not saying that my life is instantly better but I do believe that things have been buried and a new life is beginning.
Thanks for the prayers x

The Book Of Eli

2010-04-28T01:51:00.000-07:00

On a lighter note..............gosh I think we all need that right now! I must tell you about a wonderful movie that my husband and I saw last night. It is called "The Book Of Eli" and stars my very favourite actor, Denzil Washingston.
I didn't have any idea what the movie was about before arriving at the cinema, It was my choice based solely on the fact that my favourite actor was playing the lead role. I don't want to ruin it for anyone who hasn't seen it but basically the storyline is set after the apocalypse when the world is an entirely different place to the one we now know. The few survivors resemble something out of a Mad Max movie (you have to see the movie to see what I mean) But then there is Eli, a man with a mission. His task is to take a book (And I'll leave the description of that book as a secret for now) to the 'west' in order to save the human race.
There is swearing and a lot of violence so please remember this before deciding to view it, but in all reality that didn't bother me because it was necessary in order to portray the atmosphere of the world in which the film is set. What is wonderful about the movie is that it shows what a world without God and his word would be like.
I was totally absorbed in the storyline from start to finish. The only thing that bothered me was a scene at the end but I can't really tell you about that for fear of ruining the storyline to those who haven't seen it! (It just bugged me)
9/10 rating for me!

Shopping Addiction

2010-04-25T03:14:00.000-07:00

For two years now I have had a major addiction in my life, a shopping addiction. It sounds like something out of one of those awful American chat shows but sad to say, it is very real for me.
It all started about two months after I had my 'breakdown'. I found that I was unable to read like I used to because I simply did not have the concentration. I don't know whether the medication I was on had anything to do with that but as hard as I tried to read, I just couldn't. I am not a television watcher! unlike my husband who devours the t.v in the evening. I get very restless just sitting in a chair watching the t.v so I had to find something else to do. I did! I found the internet and the big wide world of internet shopping. It started off with books. I became addicted to buying books, lots and lots and lots of books. One was simply not enough, I had to have every book that anyone ever recommended. My house started to look like a library but in all honesty it didn't have much effect on our finances because most of the books I bought were second hand and it all kind of stayed manageable. The 'buzz' for me was not in having a house full of books, it was the process of pushing the 'buy it now' button and then waiting for the postman to deliver the goods. That was a huge thrill. Once the books arrived then they were placed on a shelf and seldom looked at. I then moved on to other things, more expensive collectors items. I was hooked, line and sinker. I joined a collectors forum where my appetite to buy more and more was fed on a daily basis. I checked ebay regularly, not just Aussie Ebay but every Ebay in the world! The finances were starting to suffer and I had to juggle money around in order to feed my habit. I ended up selling things on Ebay which was a huge pain because I spent more time at the post office sending parcels than doing my home duties (including homeschooling). Eventually I was found out when our phone was cut off. My husband forgave me, took out a personal loan to pay the debt and I promised I was over my addiction. I wasn't............it wasn't long before it all started again. This time a different hobby, a new item to buy, a new forum to join. The bills were not being paid, the mortgage was in arrears. Things were really getting bad. Two weeks ago I confessed to my family as I was in such a mess with everything that it was affecting every area of my life. Once again I have mounted up an enormous debt. I hate myself for it and desperately want to stop but the temptation is HUGE. I can't begin to tell you how hard I am finding it. My husband is a good man and once again he is trying to deal with it.
I don't know why I have become caught up like this. So many people have tried to analyze me. Some people have told me that the items I am buying are replacing the children I can no longer have. I don't think so! Some people think it is low self esteem. Personally I think that the internet has been my 'stress pill'. When I couldn't cope with life around me I retreated to a place of security and comfort...........the internet.
I have also realized that I am not the same person I used to be. I am more often than not in a 'zombie' state of lethargy..Housework and chores in the home are difficult for me and this is hard to admit because I used to be so thorough in all of these things. I often wonder just how drugged out I actually am. I have gained 14 kg since starting medication and that makes me feel horrible. I just want to go back to 'normal'.
Don't know what else to say really, I guess that is about the depth of my horrible story. I just hope there is a happy ending.

Hi

2010-04-20T00:24:00.000-07:00

Hi guys
Still here. Going through some major 'stuff' right now so finding it difficult to write anything. Looking for answers and really wanting change.........
Thanks for any prayers my way. x

Happy Purim!

2010-03-01T22:53:00.000-08:00

Over the weekend the Jewish feast of Purim was celebrated. I love the Jewish customs and whenever I can I love to introduce some of these celebrations in to our lives.
Today, albeit slightly late, we are celebrating Purim. We pushed our normal workload aside and concentrated on learning what Purim is all about. Purim is the story of Esther, the brave Queen who risked her own life in order to save her people, the Jews. The bad guy in the story is Haman, servent of the King who initiated the decree to have all the Jews killed.
We spent the morning making Groggers, basically a noise maker! When the story of Esther is read (usually in the evening and then again in the morning over the Purim feast) every time the name of Haman is mentioned the children are encouraged to shake their music makers (or in this case empty toilet roll holders, decorated and filled with rice!) and shout "BOO". Then when the name of Mordecai is mentioned they shout for joy "Hooray Hooray".
We also made Hamantashen cookies, a delicate biscuit filled with sweet jam and in the shape of a triangle.
Leah made a cut out doll of Esther and Ethan made a cut out doll of Mordecai. They then laminated them so that they can use them as bookmarks. Ben completed a word search puzzle including the words associated within the story of Esther and Purim!
I find my Jewish Holiday books from Heart Of Wisdom to be a tremendous source of information and ideas on how to celebrate the Jewish feast. It has added a wonderful dimension to our home schooling life and I really believe that my children will benefit from days like this when they grow up and look back in fondness at the fun we had celebrating the word of God in our home.
Tonight we are sharing a simple meal but all effort is going out to decorate the table and make the evening special. Happy Purim everybody!

Depression

2010-02-28T22:07:00.000-08:00

I haven't spoken about this subject for a long time. It has been two years since my 'nervous breakdown' a term that is not medically correct but simply refers to the 'sudden onset of severe depression'. Four weeks after the birth of our ninth child I hit rock bottom.
These are some of the things that I learned during this time and things that I believe really helped me to get back on track. I just wanted to re-address these things today because 'someone' out there might find it helpful.

1) Depression is NOT CIRCUMSTANTIAL! i.e, it does not need a CIRCUMSTANCE to spark it off! It may contribute to the level of depression felt by a sufferer but it is not dependent on circumstances.

2) Depression is SYSTEMATIC! ie, it doesn't depend on a circumstance, "it lies within the system ". That is why when well meaning people suggest that someone with depression "Take a holiday" or "Go for a long walk" are almost useless to the sufferer! Because depression is systematic it follows you on holiday, follows you when you go for a walk, follows you wherever you go! A depletion of brain chemicals produces the system for which depression thrives.

3) The brain has a number of messengers called 'happy messengers' Technically these neurotransmitters are known as 'biogenic amines' they don't just keep us happy, they energize us and help us to cope with pain and remain tranquil. Some of these 'happy messengers' include Seratonin , dopamine and a group of tranquilizers that are found in abundance in te brain.

4) Other messengers are called "sad messengers" These neurotransmitters carry bleak and sombre messages. They tell the brain to be downheartened, cautious and dispirited. An excess of sad messengers makes us depressed, anxious, sleepless and fatigued. These are the messengers that dominate when we feel overwhelmed by life's demands. Examples of sad messengers are cortisol and a group of enzymes that rob us of happy messeners.

So.........what helps and what can I do to get better?

Affection.......hugs, backrubs, massage etc etc signals the brain to release oxytocin, a hormone that boosts feelings of affection and is a buffer against stress.

Laughter.............Lowers the levels of the damaging stress hormone, cortisol. Laughter reverses the constriction of blood vessels, helps protect brain cells and helps us get rid of the fatty stomach that excess cortisol can give us during times of stress.

Counselling .initially I was scared about receiving counseling but it was very beneficial and helped me put my thoughts in to perspective.

Medication Some times you can get better without the need for medication. For me this wasn't the case, I was too bad! Medication merely stabilizes you and allows you the balance to seek more natural help.

Food that heal........Grapefruit, oranges and whey protein contain a stress busting ingredient and will help you to stay calm and tension free

Whey contains alpha lactalbulmim that boost the body's level of tryptophan, a buidling block of the feel good hormone, Seratonin by as much as 43%
Seratonin is a brain chemical that reduces hunger and boosts our sense of well being. When serontonin is low you can become increasingly dissatisfied with life and food! making it hard to stick to a diet. When seratonin levels are high we do NOT crave sweets! (I personally take 3 scoops of whey protein powder a day mixed up in a fruit smoothie.........I have done this for two years now and swear by it)

Foods that are considered sources of Tryptophan (a natural sedative) include Dairy products, Beef, Turkey, Poultry, Fish, Brown Rice, Barley, Soybeans and nuts,

and last but not least CHRISTIAN MEDITATION..........the art of spending quiet, contemplative time meditating on God's word.
This to me has to be the most BENEFICIAL thing that helped me on the road (long long road) to recovering.......

Nurture

2010-02-19T04:06:00.000-08:00

Our ladies group at church have just begun a new course called "Nurture" based on the book written by Lisa Bevere. Lisa Bevere is someone that I admire a lot. I read her book "Out of control and loving it" a few years ago and was astounded by her honesty. When our pastor told us about this course I felt so excited. It is all about directing women to walk in the gifting that God has given them "Nurture". We have only done one lesson so far but is was just beautiful. I know that I had a tear or two in my eyes! This is something that I have felt for such a long long time. For years I have sought out older women to 'nurture' me and for a long time I thought I was 'weird' in wanting this. I now realize that I am not alone! But it is my job to nurture just as it is to be nurtured.
I highly recommend anyone doing this course if it comes along. The book is very inspiring and Lisa is a great author.

February update

2010-02-18T02:49:00.000-08:00

Sorry guys for neglecting my blog for so long! I really have been busy. It has taken me ages to get in to the swing of the new school year. I honestly can't say that I am even there yet but slowly, day by day, things seem to be taking shape.
I ordered my Switched On Schoolhouse from Christian books in the U.S. The postage was by far the cheapest. I really can't wait for it to arrive as I feel it will take a lot of pressure from me. My 14 year old son is doing the 'basics'. He is using Fred for maths and really enjoys it. I love the price so that is good~ For English he is using a Queens Homeschool English book which is o.k. For Science he continues with the John Tiner Paradigm curriculum which I hope to update to Biology later on this year.
Our 16 year old is teaching our two beginning schoolers, 5 and 6 year olds using "100 Easy Lessons" and Five In A Row. It is going really well, short and sweet but to the point!
We have found a wonderful course for her doing cert four in fitness combining massage. It is held at a corporate gym in the city centre and has a very good reputation. We just need to save some money! so that will probably take place around about August (God willing)
Our ten year old is on the long road to 'assesment' relating to Aspergers diagnosis. I have to wait till July to see a pediatrician! I feel so much better having come to terms with his situation. He is different but that is not necessarily a bad thing! I was just told a story by a close friend as related by Lisa Bevere at the Influences Conference. She described her son as 'learning differently' to others. I wonder if she means 'autistic' I don't know but he sounds a lot like Ben! Anyway, they refused to put him down and continually lifted him up as 'just learning differently to other people'.........the end of the story was that he was offered a job by Microsoft in the U.S. Apparently they are one of the hardest jobs to come by and people that get in are considered very lucky indeed. So that has been a lesson to me, I need to seek God for words of encouragement for all my children, focus on the positive and not the negative. God has a plan for each of their lives doesn't he!
My latest 'diet' is back to an oldie........The Atkins! It actually started off when a lady at church was seen to be devouring a tin of tuna at the evening home group meeting coffee time. I congratulated her on ignoring the cakes and she told me she was on a new eating plan called "Body Trim". I was curious so looked it up the next day. Sounded great, the wording on the site made me want to click "BUY NOW" very quickly but I didn't have $140 to spend so instead I googled for information and found out enough to tell me that it was basically a low carb diet with one day off a week. The only low carb diet book I had on my shelf was Atkins and although he ended up dying of heart disease I decided to give it another go!!! LOL I am actually two weeks in to it now and am feeling great. I am eating lots and lots of fish. I actually enjoy going shopping each day for fresh fish. My favourite so far is a New Zealand fish called "Lingine" or something like that!!!! It has no bones which is great. Last week I bought some cod and nearly choked to death on all the bones........awful. I am finding that I am not hungry at all during the day and if worse comes to worse I have a pantry full of tins of tuna that I snack on! I am being so good.........I can't believe it. The scales haven't budged but I feel heaps better within myself.

I still love my dolls and am off with the fairies most of the time in my own little world of dollies!! LOL I received on today who just cracks me up. She is called "The Fat Fairy" and she has a figure just like me!!! I can't stop laughing when I pick her up. I'll try to get pics (and bore you all to death)
Above is Zach in the background, poor shy Chloe in the burgundy dress and my voluptuous "Fat Fairy" who I have named Mia.
Just a last thing. I must let you all see this wonderful blog full of homemade dolls houses. They are just amazing. Some people are so talented. http://bearcabinminiatures.blogspot.com/

Switched On Schoolhouse!

2010-02-04T02:49:00.000-08:00

Slowly over the course of the week I have had clearer vision in regard to homeschooling. The Lord has laid upon my heart a curriculum that we used a LONG time ago with our second eldest daughter, Jessica, who is now 22 years old, married and working. She was a terror at homeschooling! she really would have preferred to remain in school, mainly for the social network. The only thing that she enjoyed at home was going on the computer so like a clever mother I decided that if you can't beat them you should join them! so I ordered her a couple of subjects on Switched On Schoolhouse. It was fantastic! she got to play computer a bit longer in the day and I got the satisfaction of knowing at least two subjects per day were completed! LOL
Once she graduated and started work I carried on with whatever I happened to be using at the time (and believe me, I have used a few different things over the years!) but this week I have had Switched On Schoolhouse on my mind once again..........

From memory a few of the subjects were too difficult (In my opinion) like Language Arts and Math. I seem to remember Jess using Science, History and Bible. I think that using all five core subjects would be too much and a sure recipe for glasses or contact lenses down the track.
Unfortunatly they don't seem to sell the curriculum in Australia any more so I had to scoot around and do some googling online. Ebay has a lot of sellers but the postage is quite expensive. The cheapest option is Christian Books in the U.S but shipping is slow, usually about six weeks.
In the end for Ben I ordered; History/Geography and Health. And for Mike I ordered History of the Vietnam war, History of the Civil war (both American in content but great for a history loving kid) British Literature Study and Bible.
Looks like we will be on 'holiday' for a bit longer, or at least till some of these arrive. I am in no rush and I know the kids are not either..........

Hello

2010-02-01T00:10:00.000-08:00

Well, looks like I scared some of you off with my last, very negative post!!! So I'll be nice and sweet today so that I don't scare you all off again.
I have officially decided to have another week of holidays. I am the owner of this 'school' so basically I can do whatever I like..........well, within reason. So there you go, I have made a decision! Yesterday I was quite mad, quite unlike my usual self, why? you may ask! well, Because it was discovered on a few occasions throughout the day that I was sitting down reading Homeschooling books and seeking a plan for the new year. Steve actually had to take my temperature because he was concerned that I was ill or something, being a strange thing for me to do
. I had to restrain the finger from pressing BUY NOW schooling items on more than one occasion. Until sanity returns and I really know what I am doing I shall stick to the items that I already own!
I am, at this stage, wondering what career will suit my fourteen year old son whose interest lie solely on playing Xbox "Call Of Duty" oh yes, and watching soccer on t.v, especially when his favourite team, Manchester United, are playing. His only other passion is food, mainly eating it but ocassionally cooking with it. Although I have horrible dreams about him taking on an appreticeship with someone like Gordon Ramsay as his teacher. I only have to ask him to take a shower and he cries like a baby so I hate to think what Gordon would do to this timid??? child.
And what about my 16 year old daughter who is unofficially doing year 12 this year? Centrelink have kindly notified me that if she does not complete an 'official year 12 course' then the money that they pay me for having her at home will abrubtly end!! Well, she is great on Facebook and excells at the art of sending super quick SMS messages on her mobile phone. She also takes great care of herself and can spend up to three hours getting ready to go out and that is just to the letterbox............but best of all, like most teenagers, she knows absolutely EVERYTHING and there is nothing that I or her father can tell her because she already knows. What an assett!
I myself have applied for a job, yes! it is true. After 25 years out of the workforce I applied for a position doing nightfill at Woolworths. I applied online and when it came to the part where I had to attach my resume I ignored it and moved on to the next question. My daughter (Who thinks she knows everything because she works in Human Resources) told me that nobody would look at an application if there was no resume attached. I told her that I informed Woolworths that I could work all hours of the night and surely needed no qualifications to put cans of baked beans on a shelf? Steve is scratching his head in confusion wondering how on earth his wife is going to stay awake in the day to homeschool the kids after working from 12-5 a.m in the morning! but even if I don't get the job (and I really don't think I want it!!) It was good to feel like I had actually made an attempt at applying for something after such a long break from the workplace.........

And to top off this super exciting post I must tell you all that my adoringly beautiful little boy, Joel, turned two yesterday! I can't believe it was two years ago that he entered our world. We wouldn't be without him for anything......he is our little sunshine.

Are the holidays over already?

2010-01-26T17:03:00.000-08:00

I can't believe that the holidays are almost over. I don't feel like I have had much of a break. I certainly don't feel like I am ready to begin another year of homeschooling. Part of this is probably due to my concerns with Ben and his future. School for him was a nightmare last year and I really haven't got the foggiest idea as to where to start this year. On top of that I have an 'official' pre schooler and grade one student this year. That always means more labor intensive work on my behalf and I just don't know where I am going to find the energy on top of everything else.
From what I have read with Aspergers, they generally need a very structured style of learning. I guess that is where I have gone wrong with Ben! I was trying to apease him and use a very unstructured style. All that happened was he ended up resisting any form of learning and ended up back in the games room on his favourite thing in the whole world...........NINTENDO......'sigh'. I don't know, maybe my son will end up making the games he seems to enjoy so much!
I'm terrified about entering the world of 'proffesionals' who may try and determine the course of my son's life with their 'expert' views. Then again, I had the same thoughts when I was diagnosed with depression and entered a similar world myself! And the reality was that they didn't want to tell me how to live, they wanted me to work out things after chewing over all the possibilities! so maybe it won't be as bad as I am imagining.
Sometimes, to be very truthful with you all, I wonder if homeschooling is the very best route for me in life right now. It is my twelth year of homeschooling and it has become more of a habit than a passion. I look at my graduated children and am proud that I have achieved something positive but when I think of the years ahead and the workload that is upon me I shiver.........
I have so many personal goals and dreams. I would love to learn professional massage, maybe even reflexology. I'd love to volunteer a day a week working in one of the charity op shops that I so love! but not at the sake of my children and their needs. It is just that I have needs too and most of these have been buried for so long due to my convictions about motherhood.
I know without doubt that God put homeschooling on my heart in the first place and I have always said that when or if it was time to stop that he would gently lead me in a new direction and I would have peace. Well, I don't have any peace right now so I am assuming that nothing has changed!
I usually start the year off with enthusiasm so this is very hard for me. I just hope something kicks in during the next week.

Long time since posting

2010-01-24T21:04:00.000-08:00

It has been a long time since posting so thought I had better write a few words. A lot has been on my mind since Christmas. Mostly about my son, Ben, ten years old. It was as though a lot of things about his behaviour became polarized, there were things that stood out a lot more than they ever had before. For six years I have battled with thoughts about Autism. My sister in law who thinks she knows it all was the first to suggest (behind my back) that Ben was Autistic. At the time I had just had my seventh baby and was trying to deal with the seperation of my parents 40 year marriage. To say that I did not take the information well was putting it mildly. In my heart I kind of knew there was a truth to it but all I wanted to do was wrap my son in a cotton blanket and protect him from the harsh, cruel world.
Whenever I expressed my concerns about our son to my husband he would always reassure me that Ben was just a little different from other kids but nothing was wrong with him. I found comfort in my husbands calm assurance that everything was fine. I always hoped that as Ben got older he would 'grow out' of his 'different' behaviour. I consoled myself that because he was an intelligent child there was no way that he could be labelled Autistic. Just because he couldn't cut with a pair of scissors, had no interest in imaginative play or group fun didn't mean he was Autistic! After all, he would sit down and read the Dictionary from A-Z nearly every day!!
Well, for some reason this weekend everything seemed to come to a head. I decided to actually research information on Autism and more specifically Aspergers Syndrome. It was like reading the story of my Son's life :-( Finally, after six long years I openly expressed my concerns and gave it a name........AUTISM. Today I rang the doctor and made an appointment to see him regarding Ben. I hope above hope that I am wrong but something tells me not. I believe that God has given me the strength that I need at this time to deal with everything that comes my way. I certainly feel God's peace right now more than I have in a long time.
Please keep us in your prayers.........

What on earth is going on with homeschooling?

2009-12-26T01:56:00.000-08:00

I have had a couple of weeks to stew things over. Our schooling seemed to go downhill during term four. I 'think' that a huge part of that was because I brought a very very good, but "my time" consuming curriculum. I just couldn't keep up with the workload, I became despondent, Ben refused to do his work, the atmosphere in the home was horrible, I wanted to throw in the towel. Why do we always feel the need to fix things that are not broken? Things were going well with our little "Unschooling school at home" I think that seeing my two little ones do so well with the pre school component of the same curriculum made me think that I needed to do it with all my children. I loved the work, loved the books but I hated the schedule where my time (precious precious time) was taken up. In a few years when my little ones are older it will probably work beautifully but for now........well I think unschooling is the ONLY way I can go.
I am selling all the books on Aussie Homeschool right now. We need the money to fix the air conditioner and keeping books that I won't use 'just for the sake of it' seems ridiculous to me. So, if you want to grab a bargain and you need a curriculum for the new year go take a peek!

Christmas 2009

2009-12-26T01:49:00.000-08:00

Well, another christmas has come and gone. We had a christmas party on Christmas Eve where we invited the whole of our church and only two of the members showed up! Thankfully our married children came and also another couple, friends for years. We were slightly disapointed but realize that 'open' invitations are probably not the way to go when it comes to Christians. The intentions are good but often not followed though!
Christmas morning our air conditioning decided to break down. It is very hot today (Boxing day) and my poor husband is not a happy man. He spent all morning in the roof trying to figure out what was going wrong. Alas! all he caused was a water leak which has added to the problem.
But that is life....

Christmas and the new year

2009-12-16T17:47:00.000-08:00

Only a week away till Christmas! Still got a lot of shopping today and my purse is feeling the pressure "eek". I hate to focus on the financial side but with nine children and neices, nephews, parents etc it sure does hit hard sometimes.
I had a brainwave yesterday that Steve and I should plan a trip away next year, just the two of us! It is something that I know is important to my husband so I have had it on my mind for a while. My lovely married daughters have offered to babysit (do you here me Jess?!!) so I don't really have any excuses not to do something. Well, the money! there is always the money!! I would love to see Singapore, it is somewhere I have always wanted to go. Then again there is Hong Kong and Steve wants to see Thailand and Bali. Bali doesn't appeal to me, not since the Bali Bombing, I just wouldn't feel safe. Thailand...........um, not sure! But Singapore or Hong Kong, now that would be great becausethey are the home to all my beloved Ball Jointed Dolls (heee heee hee........don't tell Steve 'that' is the reason!)
Oh, it would be nice. I wonder if for once in my life I can stick to a plan and see it through.......

Something is happening to me.........

2009-12-13T23:14:00.000-08:00

Something wonderful is happening right now in my life. Ever since my home school moderator visited last week I have felt something exciting in the atmosphere! She told me about a pastor that she listens to, Leonard Ravenill, and how he has impacted her.
Only today I decided to download some of his sermons. I can't tell you how blessed I feel to hear the word of God spoken in such a passionate way. He is a genuine, old time Pentecostal preacher! He was a mentor to the late Keith Green and is, in fact, buried in the same cemetery as Keith Green in the U.S.
I don't know what is happening within me but it feels like a pregnancy! the conception of something new and the excitement that comes with that is amazing.
Oh, I know this probably sounds weird to many of you but I know that something exciting is happening within myself in a spiritual manner and that feel soooooooooooo good.

Fantastic Education Visit!

2009-12-09T04:22:00.000-08:00

Yesterday our wonderful Education Department moderator came for her yearly visit. We are so blessed to have this delightful woman oversee our education. She is a beautiful Christian lady and has become a friend to our family.
She was here for four hours and for three hours and thirty minutes we spoke about the Lord! She had an amazing testimony to share, it was obvious when she walked through the door that she was half the woman she used to be! she has lost 16kg in one year!!! God gave her a revelation about her overeating and totally healed her and amazingly took away her desire to over eat. She is a new woman!
Now if only God would do that for me? ...............'dreams'..................
And yes, the homeschooling got the tick of approval too!

Meet Blythe and Ella

2009-12-03T03:15:00.000-08:00

Introducing two of my dolls to you!
Blythe http://www.thisisblythe.com/blythe_history.php, well she needs no introduction! Originally brought out in 1972 and dying the same year she made a bold re entrance into the world a few years ago and hasn't looked back since! I think it has something to do with those adorable eyes and 'that' face!
Then there is little Ella, my Bobobie Elfkin girl. So tiny at only 15cm but wonderfully made and fully poseable. She loved it in the garden, her and Blythe took a nice evening walk together

Forgive me my dear non doll loving friends..........I am off with the fairies today!

What's Healthy?

2009-12-02T14:45:00.000-08:00

I woke up this morning and felt yuk. "Time for a health kick" I told myself! so I went straight to Google (where else?) and entered DR MECOLA. That was one of my favourite health sites for years but I haven't visited in about two years (maybe that is why I am so unhealthy?) . Big bold announcements alert me to the dangers of microwaves, mobile phones (not my beloved iphone surely?) Computers (what?) t.vs and every other potential transmitter of harmful rays. I then see a banner announcing the latest on "SWINE FLU" but very sensibly I decide to not click on that. Y'see, once upon a time I was so obsessed with all these lovely health sites that I took everything literally. Quite literally I ended up frightening myself to death..........well not death but a nervous breakdown. I couldn't eliminated the 'warning' information from my brain, instead it stayed there and brew into a deep worrying, fearful concoction. Most people probably don't feel that way but "I" do! and I have come to the conclusion that filling my brain with things that I can do little about is not healthy (for me) so nowadays I choose carefully what I read and dwell upon. You can understand then why I came off the Dr Mecola site very very quickly today!
Ignorance is bliss..............well, some of the time! I'll go make myself a barley green smoothie and get over it.............

1st December...........already?

2009-12-01T02:23:00.000-08:00

Gosh, it is 'that' time of year again! the 1st of December and the start of the Christmas season is upon us once again.
This year I bought some really cute Advent calanders from Ebay. They don't have chocolate in them, which is quite nice considering that chocolate is a temptation that my little ones don't understand as being a 'once a day treat'. Last year they finished an advent calender in one day (without my knowledge!)
This year I found a Littlest Pet shop and Ponyville calender that contain cute little toys that go with the theme of each one. Today Ethan opened his Littlest Pet shop and found the most adorable pet bird! Leah was thrilled with her little Pinkie Pie pony. I am almost as excited as the children and can't wait to see what tomorrow holds!
My education officer arrives next Tuesday. I always like her visit because she is a christian and we always talk each others heads off! but at the same time I am apprehensive because our schooling has completely collapsed this term and I don't know how I am going to cover that subject!
I'm tired............tired of schoolwork, tired of clutter in the house related to schoolwork, tired of noise related to schoolwork, tired of stress and arguments concerning school work and one defiant child. I am ready for a holiday! ready for some 'me' time.
My diet................don't even ask!

Make your own dolls house

2009-11-18T21:28:00.000-08:00

If anyone has a little girl then I am sure that you either own or are planning on owning a dolls house! Well, I have found that most Doll houses are either too small to be of any use or too big and take up half the house. I was browsing for some ideas on the internet and came across a site where a woman has the most amazing doll house that I have ever seen! It is such a great idea and would be minimal cost compared to some of the dolls homes that I have seen advertised. All she uses are the chipboard cubes that are readily available at most storage shops. I bought two today at $19.95 each and they are easy to add on to. With all the beautiful http://www.denverdoll.com/rement.php dolls house furniture (rement) around at next to nothing you and your daughter could have a great time bringing fantasy into reality by creating your very own dolls home. This is also a great hobby for adults (like me!) who love decorating and changing furniture styles but haven't got the finances to do so! Decorating a dolls house (or cube room) is far less expensive but with the variety of materials available the choices are endless. One of my cousins in England has made the most adorable dolls homes over the years using a similar method (not cubes though) and they are a work of art. Check out the wallpaper stores! pick up some wooden flooring panels or carpet remnents and start creating the room of your dreams. You might never get to live in it but you can dream of a bigger version one day !
http://reddikerwoodes.typepad.com/reddiker_woodes/doll-house-reddiker-woodes/

Dolls Dolls Dolls

2009-11-18T01:45:00.000-08:00

Well, Steve and the older children are away for a few days on a camping trip. That leaves me and four little ones at home! (who do you think has the harder job?)
I had every intention of cleaning the pantry, defrosting the freezer, tidying up the garden etc etc but all I am able to do is survive! It is only when the older children are away that I realize just how much help they are to me around the home. It took me six hours to finish the breakfast dishes this morning......'sigh'. ...but it is all good, I know that Steve gets a lot from having time alone with the older two and always comes home refreshed. Good job coz by that stage I will be a frazzled mother!

Just wanted to share pictures of some of my dolls. All of these are made of resin and completely ball jointed, even the 'cats'. My girl, Mara, arrived fresh from ebay and with the help of one of my daughter's dolls wigs has taken on a complete new dimension. I love my dolls!

Alice In Wonderland

2009-11-15T16:24:00.000-08:00

One of the upcoming movies for 2010 will be Alice In Wonderland in 3D. I am not a huge fan of Alice In Wonderland, it was never a story that I personally 'warmed' to but when I saw this trailer picture my heart missed a beat..........stunning! so I might have to go see it just to see some more beautiful scenery like this.

I don't know..........

2009-11-13T03:06:00.000-08:00

I feel like I am in the midst of a spiritual battle right now. I hope that doesn't sound weird but it is the only way that I can describe it. I am reminded of the books by Frank Peretti, "This Present Darkness" and the others of which I can't remember the titles right now. Those books gave me such an insight into the spiritual realm.
Can I ask those Christians among my readers to please pray for me and my family right now? It is the only thing that I am prompted to do.............ask for prayer. God bless you all x

Wow.......is it that time already?

2009-11-11T00:13:00.000-08:00

Sorry for my absense here but I do have a good excuse........ I have been happily busy! God is so good, just as I thought that my days at the gym were over (due to boredom and slackness on my behalf) A very dear friend decided to join with me and we have been going together this week. It is so nice to have company and the time just seems to fly. After the gym on Monday we spent three hours shopping! I couldn't believe that we could spend so long out but the time just flew past. I knew it was getting late when my tummy started rumbling in the shop rather loudly and looking at the clock I noticed it was 2.00p.m! We left home at 10.00am.
I am really in holiday mode with school work. Ben has spent the days watching Moody Science DVD's, reading his dictionary (he is a strange lad!) and playing with his siblings. I have been asked to set up an Aromatheraphy stand at our Church's Christmas party this year. Steve thinks it is hilarious as my information is purely for pleasure rather than expertise!! but maybe my enthusiasm will blow any doubters out the hall!
The gym is having a Christmas lunch at a local restaurant. I usually shy away from things like that because gyms are not the sort of place that you attend for fellowship.........so I really don't know anyone that well. I just feel it is a good thing to do so put my name down. My friend isn't going because she is the Pastor's wife and it is on a Sunday at lunch time (church finishes just after) but that is o.k. A stranger is only a friend that I haven't yet met!

Still absorbed in my new doll hobby. Steve thinks I am nuts. I haven't changed since I was a little girl........toys and dolls, that is me.

Mara

2009-11-07T02:52:00.000-08:00

Many of you will look at this doll and think "Yuk", that is o.k! I said the same thing when I saw her. I couldn't stop going back for a second, third, fourth look and it didn't take long to see her with new eyes. She is a 'one off' custom made ball and joint doll designed and made by a talented artist. I have named her Mara which is Hebrew for sorrow. I can't wait to sketch her in real life! Most BJD collectors use their dolls for photography or art poses.

A new week

2009-11-01T15:52:00.000-08:00

I had a good weekend with the Lord! without wanting to sound 'religous' (I hate religion) God really spoke to me clearly through his word over the past two days. Yesterday's sermon was brilliant, a 'word in season'. The pastor spoke a simple message about reaching your destiny. Basically if we want to reach our destiny we have to head in the right direction! He gave an illustration of someone wanting to head for Sydney for a holiday. They had prayed about, knew it was right, they had the plane tickets, their luggage was packed, the hotel was booked but instead of hopping on the plane for Sydney they took the plane to Darwin! He went on to say that in life we may have 'destinations' such as a health goal, finacial, spiritual, marriage etc etc but unless we get on and continue on the right path we are not going to land! For me the message spoke volumes. I could see clearly how my weight watchers had gone twisted! I still had the desire to reach my 'goal' but I was heading in the opposite direction! Same with homeschooling, same with my spiritual walk. How simple but how true............
I have prayed about the homeschooling situation and feel clearly that I am to put away all plans and curriculum until next year! I was trying to be superwoman again and it was burning me out. I am going to continue in a slow and steady manner with Christmas holidays in sight.
Yesterday was my first day back at the weight watchers plan. I clearly see how I was going wrong and I am determined to reach the goal that I set myself for Christmas. WATCH THIS SPACE!
I have let a lot of things go spiritually as I have become busier. Like Susan said, a lot of my 'perk me up' are band aids and I have to remember that the thing that got me better in the first place was walking a closer walk with God, christian meditation and time spent alone with my heavenly father.
There are other areas in my life, a little bit too painful and personal to talk about openly that I am still praying about. Sometimes I give them over to God but all to often take them back again and try to deal with them myself. I can't see the end of the tunnel yet and many times I feel like walking away from this painful experience but trust that God will continue to hold me up and keep me strong.

How has your week been?

2009-10-30T03:42:00.000-07:00

Well, its Friday again. Another week has come to a close. As I look back on this week I am filled with a sense of disappointment. Disappointment that I didn't achieve what I set out to do on Sunday. But then again, maybe my expectations were too high? Maybe they were never achievable in the first place. This is something that I am going to think about over the weekend. In many ways I feel like a failure because all the goals that I set for myself and my family seem to be crumbling.
My Weight Watchers is just not going in the right direction. I am going round and round in circles! I stopped tracking my food and consequently the weight has gone up and I am disillusioned. Instead of 'fighting back' I am eating to comfort myself "sigh".
The homeschool plan that I set up for this term isn't working out as I would have liked. Gosh, that is hard to admit. It isn't that the program isn't good, it is excellent! but I just can't cope with the workload. It only requires about two hours of my time per day which doesn't sound like much, but in this house 2 hours is a luxury that I just don't have. Because I am so frantically trying to fit everything in I haven't been to the gym all week. That is very upsetting because the gym and exercise has been the saving grace for me (mentally and physically) this year. I just can't afford to let it go.
My toddler is teething and all he seems to want right now is his 'booby'. To be honest with you I am tired of breastfeeding. I have been breastfeeding on and off for 24 years! Then at the same time I know that Joel is my last baby and I will be sad when these days have passed. On top of all my workload I am carrying a 20month old around on my hip for most of the day..........another 'sigh'.
I know how to 'perk' myself up these days. That was part of the reason for writing the list in my previous post. But this is a time when I really need to reflect on the priorities in my life and get some order back in to my day. Something in my head is telling me to stop and if I do nothing but read a book with my kids each day then I am achieving enough. The other side of my brain is telling me that I am a useless mother, a terrible teacher and my kids would be better back in school.............'big sigh'.
I hope you guys have had a better week than me! I'll pick myself up and be on track again next week but right now I just need a good nights sleep :-)

Things that make me happy

2009-10-26T04:30:00.000-07:00

Illustration by Tasha Tudor

A French Country Kitchen "drool"

I am a simple girl. It doesn't take much to make me happy! I don't have expensive taste in clothes or ornaments. I prefer 'natural' timber with knots and blemishes. I love shopping for clothes in op shops where I can spot a bargain a mile away. There are lots of little things that I love and I thought I'd make a list to remind myself of just how blessed I am and how good life is.
1) Cupcakes with pink icing
2) Fairies
3) pink Christmas trees!
4) A parcel arriving full of books, secondhand or new, I don't mind!
5) Sweet dolls
6) Candles
7) Aromatherapy 100% oils
8) Old toys
9) Lindt chocolate
10) A bottle of wine
11) Cookbooks
12)Christmas
13) Birthdays
14) Celebrations involving feast
15)Art
16) Beautiful illustrators
17) Gardens
18) painting
19) craft of all kinds (although I am no good at any of them!)
20) Poem by W.H Davies "Stand And Stare"

Pullip Dolls

2009-10-24T17:24:00.000-07:00

O.K, so now I have exposed my little secret about collecting vintage toys and dolls I can reveal to you all my latest craze!
The Pullip Doll!

New editions of Pullip dolls are released on a monthly basis. Additional limited-release exclusives are sold occasionally. Each has a unique name with distinct face make-up, hair, outfit, accessories, and box.

Between 2003 and 2009 there have been over 108 Pullip doll releases. The regular monthly releases of Pullip are 'limited' in that only a certain amount are made, this number is known only by the manufacturer.

When I first saw these strange looking little dolls I thought they were totally ugly! But I kept going back for more looks and the more I looked the more I fell in love with them. They are the same size as a Barbie doll but what makes them unique is their flexable bodies and their amazing HUGE eyes! If you do a Google Search you will find many avid collectors of these dolls and the photo shoots that they do of their dolls. It really is amazing how grown up woman never really grow up when it comes to dolls! (well, some of us!)
Steve, once again, is scratching his head with confusion at my latest hobby. He has, however, agreed to put a display shelf up in our bedroom where I can proudly display my first Pullip. I don't have her yet! I can't decide which one to buy. There are so many to choose from!

A blogging award!

2009-10-23T02:06:00.000-07:00

A dear friend has passed on an award for me! Thanks Mel, I always love reading your blog. It is so full of positivety and encouragment. If you haven't checked her out then please do so at http://sweetblueskydays.blogspot.com/2009/10/blog-award.html#comment-form

To claim this award I have to tell you six things about myself that you don't already know (being a blabbermouth that is slightly difficult!)

1) I was born and bred in England and moved to Australia when I was 15 years old in order to 'save' my parents marriage (they divorced after 40 years of marriage but at least it saved it for 20 years or so!)

2) I went out with a boy in Adelaide who is now one of the 'top bosses' of the Hells Angels in Adelaide.........thank God for saving me from that!

3) I met my future husband to be because my parents were friends with his girlfriends family. He got saved and decided to contact me six months later. His girlfriend hasn't spoken to me since!

4) I collect 'children's toys' like Fisher Price old toys and dolls and all sorts of other lovely things that take me back to childhood

5) My life long desire is to visit Claude Monet's garden at Givenchy in Paris............I will do it before I die!

6) I am addicted to the internet!

I would like to pass this blog on to Sarah at Eternity in Your heart.........her faith and love of God is truely inspirational to me! http://eternityinyourheart.blogspot.com/

Also Susan at Kerugma who continually amazes me with her passion for life and her long time online friendship with me!http://kerugma.net/

I love food and I love wine

2009-10-22T17:53:00.000-07:00

I am on week five of Weight Watchers. I have been doing good but this week has been terrible. The sun is shining, Spring is in the air (almost Summer) and my favourite thing to do is eat...........and drink. When it comes to food I have very little willpower. My favourite thread on the weight watchers forum is the "wine" thread.........honestly! It is a little discussion going on as to the points value of certain wines. I found out last week that I can drink a whole bottle of Lindeman's Early Harvest for 5 points. I am not an alcoholic..............really! but the European in me thinks that wine and food go together..........no argument! So when I found that out it put the biggest smile on my dial and where do you think I headed? off to the wine shop of course!
Then on Saturday night Steve and I went to the movies and for a treat we upgraded our tickets to "Le Premier" which means luxury armchair seats, a fully licenced bar and grill, popcorn unlimited, soft drinks unlimited..........bliss! so obviously you can't just sit there and not take advantage of all that? so we did! 100% . Then yesterday it was a lovely sunny day and I had one of my brainwaves "Let's take the kids out for lunch to "The Last Drop", an English style country pub in Perth. So off we went and my eyes were bigger than my belly (almost) and we ordered two huge woodfired pizzas, wine, three plates of wedges, three plates of garlic bread and a Greek Salad (to make me feel better). Even when I was full I had to keep eating so that I could mop the excess food up (can't waste it).
Today I have put on 1.2 kg and I am not happy! But I know why how where and when I did it!

Gosh, why do I have to love food so much?

Preparing Hearts For His Glory

2009-10-20T03:04:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to add a few pictures of the books that I am using with Preparing Hearts For His Glory. I most probably have a book addiction of sorts, so forgive me if this post bores you to tears! There is nothing more comforting (to me) than an overflowing bookcase or four. Together with a cup of Chai Tea it is about as close to perfect as you can get!!

First day back of term three......

2009-10-19T17:41:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was our first day back at 'school'. I decided to take an extra week off 'just for the sake of it'. It was a bad idea, by Tuesday the kids were already turning my hair a darker shade of grey. By Wednesday they had nearly killed each other. By Thursday I had nearly killed all of them. By Friday I had a bad headache.
Anyway, First day using the Heart Of Dakota "Preparing Hearts For His Glory" with Ben (9). Thankfully I had a wonderful brainwave idea during the final week of holidays (well something good had to come of it) and decided to use our 16 year old daughter to teach Ethan 5 and Leah 4 using Heart Of Dakota "Little Hands To Heaven". To be honest with you I didn't know how I was going to combine the two without having another nervous breakdown. I take my hat off to anyone who can juggle the education of four children at the same time (including a mischievous 20 month old wandering around aimlessly without supervision), personally it has never been something that I am good at. Little Hands To Heaven only takes about an hour.......if that .....but with all the other things in my day it was just looking too hard.
So, having got 20month old off for a morning sleep I took Ben into the Lounge room, shut the door and opened the first page. By that stage it was 11.00 a.m, a late start but I spent way too long on the internet searching for a pink Christmas tree (that is a whole other story and one that I won't bore you with right now, Steve thinks it is the worst idea I have had since buying a toy poodle, or even a giant 7ft giraffe for the lounge room) We read the first chapter of "Grandpa's Box" and did an oral narration which was great. I'm always worried that Ben isn't absorbing the book because he spends so much time grunting, blinking and snorting (three of his very bad habits at the moment!) Then Ben had to look up information on "Coat Of Arms" which he happily did and reported back to me in an appropriate manner! We then had to cut out a shield shape and he had to talk to me about symbols of the Christian faith (cross, fish, dove etc) so he decided he wanted his shield to have four squares with the fish symbol and a giant cross in the centre. He has to paint the shield today so that was good because all over it wasn't very time consuming. He then had to do some drawing using the 'Draw And Write Through History" book which, to my utter amazement, was VERY good! After that he had to read Psalm (can't remember which one!) and that is his memory verse for the week (Even mum can't remember it!!!) For Science we read "One Small Square.......The Tundra" and he had to do some copywork from the chapter and also draw the map of the Tundra (Or Trace It). Our English component is "English for the thoughtful child" Which I thought after should be called "English for the lazy mother who hasn't got more time in the day for more extensive programs".I love it! That was all we ended up doing. By that stage we had broken up for an hours lunch, resuming at 1.00p.m, by then it was 2.00p.m and I wanted to go shopping and continue my search for a pink Christmas tree (glad to see that my priorities are right) I found a white christmas tree, a purple christmas tree, an upside down christmas tree and even a black christmas tree but no pink...............
I thought this morning that even if I did half the amount of work in the Heart Of Dakota program and it took two years then that would be FINE! Ben does a lot of self learning. He is always picking up books that I sneakily place around the house and giving me oral feedback on them! He loves watching "Animal Planet" and "The History Chanel" so this kid is never going to starve for education.
Yes, I'd rate it pretty well so far! but then again we still have 364 days left to go..........

Julie And Julia

2009-10-17T06:37:00.000-07:00

I have just returned from the movies with my husband. We watched the most delightful movie, "Julie And Julia" starring Meryl Streep. It is based on a true story, that of famous American Chef Julia Childs and writer, Julie Powell who wrote the book that the movie is based on.
Julia Childs was a character! One of those people that everyone would want as a friend, her personality was infectious. She was probably the first famous T.V chef, long before the days of Jamie Oliver and Gordon Ramsay! Julie Powell worked for the government before taking on the challenge of keeping a 365 day blog dedicated to the recipes in Julia Child's famous cookbook "Mastering The Art Of French Cooking".
The movie cleverly intertwines the two tales, both decades apart.
Meryl Streep does an amazing job of portraying the rather eccentric Julia. There were many moments throughout the movie that I laughed out loud...........a good feeling!
There is a little bit of swearing, but nothing that offended me. It really is one of those feel good movies that I would highly recommend. My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed it!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julia_Child

Going Down Down Down

2009-10-15T22:15:00.000-07:00

My weight today has dropped by 500grams. Slow and steady wins the race! I am currently 88.2kg
My goal is to lose 10kg by Christmas which will take me to 79.9kg. Oh, how lovely that would be!
I had a few bad days with Weight Watchers. I got slack tracking my points and probably went over by quite a bit. Portion size is oh so important!
Me and my darling girls are planning a long weekend away in Melbourne after Christmas as a treat for losing some weight. I am so excited about that and it is a huge inspiration for me to continue.

Preparing Hearts For His Glory

2009-10-06T17:00:00.000-07:00

The school year has been going well. The jump into a more delight directed approach has suited our family down to the ground. However, after starting the little children on The Heart Of Dakota kindy program, "Little Hands To Heaven" I was completely taken with the concept of this wonderful program. I started looking on the web site at their program for older children. The more I looked the more I became convinced that I wanted Ben (9) to use this. It isn't that I am unhappy with his learning this year, he has had a great time, but I felt that I needed a slightly more structural approach to his learning. You see, on the days when "I" am not feeling the best Ben tends to suffer. I am not prepared, not organized and therefore little work gets done. Oh yes! I know that learning happens regardless and there have been many instances where I have been delighted to watch my son choosing his free time to read a science book, grab the microscope and check out spores, salt or other interesting finds. But I wanted a little bit more than this, a little bit more structure.

The thing that I love about The Heart Of Dakota is the simplicity of the plan! It works so well with my heart desire to still have a certain amount of freedom! Although they may recommend Rod And Staff for the English component the reader is still free to choose whatever English program they prefer. I am not forced in to doing what I really would rather not do. The same goes for math and science although I am happy to continue using Singapore math and the science is using living books which suits me fine.

The program is set out as a four day a week curriculum. Each day is separated into nine boxes of work covering each subject. You are encouraged to work through one box, then maybe take a break for some play, lunch whatever, and work through the remaining boxes throughout the day. The work is not tedious or long! in fact the role model behind this curriculum is Charlotte Mason so anyone who is aware of her teaching will have an immediate 'aha' moment when I tell you that! The emphasis is not on written work but on oral narration first. The book I bought for Ben covers introduction dictation work using "Dictation Day By Day' Book one by Kate Van Wagenen (1916) The short sentences are ideal and an answer to prayer for me in regards to introducing dictation in small, simple steps. The History component uses the classic "A Child's History Of The World" but also some amazingly beautiful books, most of which I have not heard or seen before (Unusual since I have been homeschooling for 11 years). I will have to take some pictures of the books and add them as some of the artwork within is simply breathtaking. "Grandpa's Box" is one of the History books and It is a beautiful, God glorifying Book! "Draw and Write Through History" is another book that I already owned but am thrilled to have as part of a curriculum.

The independent reading books was the thing that finally drew me to purchase the curriculum. I was having trouble finding books for Ben to read that he was interested in. They either seemed too old or too young. The books in this program include "The 5000 year old puzzle" "Miriam of Galilee" "Leif The Lucky" "Minstrel in the tower" "William Shakespeare and the globe" "Mozart The Wonder Boy" and many many more!

I am really excited about starting this. It is not too much work for 'me' but enough work to satisfy my need for slightly more structure in my son's life.

Life Of Fred

2009-10-06T00:31:00.000-07:00

I ordered the math curriculum, Life Of Fred at the beginning of term two. We had decided to let go of Math U See and my dream was to start Teaching Textbooks. The program was expensive though and until I could save up the money we decided to use something for the interim period. I heard about Life Of Fred on the Aussie Homeschool site and for $40 a book (in the lower levels) thought it would be a good gap filler.

Two terms later and we are still hooked on Life Of Fred. I can't tell you how much the children are loving it! I never thought Math would provoke such excitement in our home. Both Mike and Rach tell me that they are learning more using Fred than they did with any other curriculum we used before! There are no complaints about math each day, no temper tantrums when they just don't 'get it'. They happily take their little book and work merrily with five year old Fred teaching them their lesson. Fred is five years old? Yep! and that is part of the funny little story that goes with the curriculum! it actually brings humour into a subject that normally has little to joke about!

So, are we going to purchase Teaching Textbooks? No! I can't see why we need to. The children are happy, they are progressing, the remaining text books are affordable, why would we want to change?

Sometimes the simple things in life are the best!

Weight This Week

2009-10-04T16:32:00.000-07:00

I had a hard week with dieting due in part to our 25th wedding anniversary celebrations! But at the end of the week a gain of 200grams didn't seem too bad considering all the food that I consumed. So my weight is settled at 88.9kg this week and am hoping to see a loss for Friday.

My goal is to reach 10kg loss for christmas. Whether or not that is possible, I don't know, but it is something that I would love to achieve. My mum and her husband are travelling across the Nullabor on their way to Adelaide to visit some family friends. They should be home by Christmas and it will be a lovely treat for my mum to see me 'smaller'. Keep smiling!

Fremantle and a lazy weekend

2009-10-04T02:46:00.000-07:00

Steve and I celebrated our 25th Wedding anniversary this week. Our three eldest daughters surprised us with a special treat! They paid for us to have a weekend away at the Esplanade Hotel in Fremantle. It was so nice to have time alone together without the children demanding our attention. Steve and I wondered for hours around the back streets of Fremantle. We feasted on food, supped on chai latte's in little quaint cafe's and snoozed for naps whenever the desire took us!

We have both come home feeling refreshed and ready for another busy week ! I think that we will have to do things like this more often.......

Chai Tea

2009-10-01T16:17:00.000-07:00

I have discovered something else that I love! Chai Tea. O.K, it probably isn't the 'real deal' but Lipton's Chai Latte Vanilla Flavour is my favourite thing to drink right now. On Weight Watchers it cost me 1.5 points so I am not going to over indulge, but at 3.00p.m or thereabouts in the afternoon it is a welcome sight to weary eyes. I love the aroma of cinnamon that drifts up from the cup. I'm quite sure that the ingrediants are artificial and on a healt concious aspect it probably benefits me little but who cares? It taste good........better than Green Tea!

Puppet Theatre

2009-10-01T03:05:00.000-07:00

I have been doing some Christmas shopping. Slightly early, I know, but I didn't want to get caught out in the Christmas rush like I did last year.
I decided to buy Ethan (5) and Leah (4) a wooden puppet theater. I have grand ideas of teaching my children to narrate well by performing plays for the family!!! (wishful thinking) The reverse side of the puppet theater is a shop front. I am thinking that the shop front might get more use than the theater!
Today I started looking for some hand puppets to use with the theater. I was frustrated by the size and quality of the items I saw. Then I hit upon the most delightful set of "around the world happy children" they are 36cm in height with big smiling faces. I think the children will be delighted with them.

Does anyone else have a puppet theater? I remember having one at primary school and absolutely loving it. Then again I was in love with Doris Day back in those days and dreamed of being a Hollywood movie star! I remember one day at school the teacher asked the children who wanted to stand up and sing a nursery rhyme to the class. I put my hand up and got up and sang a Doris Day song "Just got in from the windy city" from the movie "Calamity Jane". I was about six years old. The teacher managed to hold her laughter in long enough to stop my mother on her way out of school and re-tell the story!

A Big Thank you

2009-10-01T02:51:00.000-07:00

I would like to say a very Big Thank You to Susan who has worked tirelessly on my new blog! Susan, you are a champ. I love it!

Spring Gardening

2009-09-25T23:26:00.000-07:00

We are having a very slow start to Spring this year, one day it is warm and sunny, the next cold and wet. We tend to have long summers that last through till May/early June so I shouldn't really complain!

The garden doesn't look the best right now. It is recovering from the winter and although there is new growth the plants look tired and the grass is full of spring weeds. In a couple more weeks the growth will take off and hopefully we will have a beautiful, blooming Summer garden.

I have planted a new variety of tomato, which apparently looks like a berry but taste like a tomato..........sounds interesting!

My Avocado tree is blooming with flowers. I only hope that means I will get fruit this year. The lemon tree has already rewarded us with some beauties but the citrus trees are struggling..........strange.

My white mulberry looks awful right now, there is little life to be seen except for a few new buds opening up at the bottom. I am prepared for the parrots this year! I have bought a tree net. I will be mad if the birds get to the berries before me again this year.

Our faithful passionfruit hasn't stopped fruiting throughout winter! Considering how expensive these are in the supermarket I am grateful for each and every one.

Variety............the spice of life!

2009-09-25T00:13:00.000-07:00

This is my second week at weight watchers. I started at 90.5 kilos and today I weighed in at 88.7kg. I am really happy! I am eating lots of lovely food, plenty of variety and yet still the weight is shifting.

What I struggle to understand is just how nice variety is! For a long time I put myself on a meat and veggie style diet............with little result. Now I am eating a large variety of food and the weight is slowly coming off. I love browsing the website each morning for tasty new recipes. My children have been great and are eating everything that I eat! and hubby isn't complaining either.........

I am looking forward to being a little bit lighter for summer. Usually I hate the heat because I am always overdressed, trying to cover up the fat! I no longer set myself goals such as 'by December 25th I want to weight 10 kilos lighter" Instead I am taking one day at a time. A lot of women vary in how much weight they lose. Some women have lost 50kg in one year and others struggle to lose 10kg in the same amount of time. I don't want to set goals that are going to frustrate me and cause me to lose interest.

I feel more energetic. My moods are more stable. So far so good!

I hate computers~

2009-09-15T16:54:00.000-07:00

Why is it that every time I try to 'pretty' my blog the entire site stuffs up? Is it too much to ask my computer to allow me to make my blog look nice with lots of pictures and links etc etc. I love having my favourite food websites listed on the right hand side where I can access them easily. But no, here I am once again stuck with the 'classic template' which allows me to do NOTHING. I am having a Basil Fawlty moment here where I feel like finding a big tree branch and bashing the computer with it (the famous bashing the car scene in fawlty towers)
I will not let it get me down! My weight is sliding down the scales only five days into WW online so I am happy regardless x

Green Tea

2009-09-14T17:49:00.001-07:00

Do you like Green Tea? Everybody that I know drinks Green Tea, most admit that they don't like it but drink it for the health benefits!I
I am attempting to introduce Green Tea into my diet. I honestly can't tell you that I like it! It has an odd taste, almost bitter. But, regardless, I am drinking it for the same reason that everyone else seems to be drinking it.
I met an odd lady the other day. She was drinking Green Tea whilst at her desk and I asked her if she liked it. She looked at me oddly and then replied with unending enthusiasm that it was the 'only' thing that she drank!
Maybe it is something that has to grow on you..........like mold.

2009-09-13T19:04:00.000-07:00

O.K, this is all about accountability so am posting some photos that I would rather not see! Front and back version. Not a pretty site but better than the side version that was tossed in the bin..........I'll attempt to get a 'better' shot later. And don't you just love the red top with the pink skirt! I must be a fashion guru or something.
The journey begins............... Saturday 12th September 90.5kg

Food blogs

2009-09-13T17:39:00.000-07:00

I am trying to cut down my internet time..........but.......it is hard when I keep finding a wealth of information and support from the Weight Watcher's website! This morning I was trying to decide on a recipe for dinner and found myself at one of the many WW members cooking blogs. I am so inspired! knowing what to cook, how many points it will cost me is the key to success. There is no need to eat boring food when dieting. Life is colourful, exciting, so why does our food have to be boring?

Holding back the cravings......

2009-09-13T02:58:00.000-07:00

Another 'secret' that I have discovered to curb the hunger pangs is Jarrah Choc N Toffee for just one point per serving it fills the craving for chocolate! I find that about 3.00p.m in the afternoon is a bad time for my sweet cravings and this drink really seems to fill the gap. Don't look at the ingredients, it is probably........no definatly full of rubbish!

Weight Watchers

2009-09-11T22:34:00.000-07:00

Just an update. I decided to join online weight watchers! It cost me $75 for a three month subscription. That enables me to keep an online diary/tracker with my allocated points. There is a fantastic tool that allows me to check the points value of everything I eat and drink so that I can watch my points and keep a check on them throughout the day. There is also an exercise tracker which shows me how many points I am allowed for certain exercises. There are message boards, recipes galore and lots and lots of support and help articles. I feel very excited.
I have just tallied my points and only have 7 left for the day!!! so that tells me that although I have been eating 'healthy' I have been eating a little bit too much in portion size. I like the visual aids, it really helps me to see where I am going wrong. Because I could see that it was easy for me to sit down and work out a nice filling tea that won't cost me too many points. I have my day planned!
I'll let y'all know how I'm doing from time to time. Hope I don't bore anyone!

News

2009-09-11T18:03:00.000-07:00

I haven't blogged for a while. Life still goes on but there seems to be less and less time to sit at the computer and share!
Our schooling is going well. I have started DD4 and DS5 on the wonderful programme "little Hands To Heaven" by Heart Of Dakota. What I like about it is the gentle approach to learning. It takes very little time, maybe twenty minutes a day. Yes! it is a curriculum but like I have said before, I will use whatever I need to help me along the way. It takes the pressure away from me having to come up with creative ideas on how to teach letter formation, bible study, art and craft etc etc! Basically the book is full of ideas, some of which I may choose to follow and others that I may choose to ignore! What is most important is that the children really enjoy it and can't wait to do their work each day (although this week we only managed two days worth of work!.......but that is o.k, it still works that way!) I was introduced to this programme after buying "Beyond Little Hearts For His Glory" from a secondhand homeschool site. Even though it was too old for my four and five year old I loved the idea and started looking at the Heart Of Dakota website for more information. The other thing I like is that although the author suggests using certain books to implement English, math, handwriting etc, you are free to use your own programme if it suits your family better.
My weight loss battle continues. I have been eating predominantly meat and veg for four weeks now. I am so very very bored! I miss things like pizza, home made chicken pie, lasagne. Yes! I can eat something like that on a treat day but for the other six weeks my choice is limited to meat and veg. I can understand why my husband has given me a glass of wine without me asking, a box of chocolates as a gift.............he is tired of his cranky wife!!!!! In a man's simple way of expressing his thoughts these 'gifts' are a cry for a return of normality! He wants me to lose weight but not at the sake of swapping his usually placid wife for Mrs Cranky 'give me the chocolate or else......." So today I have woken up and my thoughts are directed towards Weight Watchers. The only diet that I have ever succeeded on (although had to finish three times due to pregnancy!) This would be my fourth time back if I were to join. I hate the thought of spending money, attending weekly meetings but at the same time I like the thought of eating 'normally' again.........

Queens Tears

2009-08-30T21:54:00.000-07:00

We have had some beautiful, Spring like weather, the past few weeks. The garden has beckoned me outside! Over Winter I did a lot of pruning (Many a problem can be buried whilst digging in the garden~) so I had a few empty spots that I wanted to fill.
On Saturday morning I was sitting down having my quiet time (Whilst all the children were still asleep, just me and a cup of tea!) and I started thinking about garden centres and plants. I knew that the average price of a plant was about $10-$15 so filling up my garden was going to be a costly affair. I remembered my Dad's good friend, Ruth. She is an avid gardener and is always collecting cuttings and potting plants. I rang dad and by sheer coincidence (Is anything a coincidence with God?) Ruth was selling lots of plants this very day at her church's jumble sale! Dad picked me up and I was so excited to see the large array of plants for sale. The dearest plant was $4! I bought about six geraniums, lots of nasturtiams, and four beautiful yet very unusual plants called Queens Tears or Bilbergia nutans.
I spent the afternoon planting. It was such a beautiful way to spend the day. The flowers of the Queens Tears just make me smile! they are so intriquetly beautiful in every way. The outline colour is a deep deep purple, almost black, it is stunning.
I can't wait for Spring to see my garden burst into flour. I wonder if my Avocado tree will stop "sulking" this year and bare some fruit?

Don't look back!

2009-08-29T01:45:00.000-07:00

I was reading a Bible Story to the children this week, it was the story of Sodom and Gomorrah. The angels told Lot and his wife not to look back at the city as they left. Whilst fire and Brimstone fell on the fallen cities Lot's wife could not resist, she turned her head in curiosity, pain, anguish........who knows what emotions she was feeling as she walked away from her home and four children who had been left behind. She was instantly turned into a pillar of salt.
How many of us are guilty of looking back, remembering the past with rose coloured glasses? I was reminded of this during the week as I reflected on my life. Something was said, it wasn't intended to hurt me but I couldn't stop thinking about the words spoken in casualness that were affecting me so deeply. The more I pondered on these words the more negative I felt about my situation. I wanted to give in, stop doing what I have been doing and run to the greener grass! I was disillusioned and felt that the present wasn't worth while...........I wanted to jump to the future!
As I tossed and turned in bed one night I was thinking about some words that another friend had written on her facebook. "When did you last encounter the awesome presence of God?" and It struck me just how negative I had become and what those thoughts had done to disrupt my week. I woke the next morning with a new perspective. Nothing had changed in the natural except the way that I was looking at the situation! Instead of seeing the negative I started focusing on the positive. Suddenly the passion and joy returned! It was amazing.
God doesn't want us to live in the past, he doesn't even want us to live in the future! He wants us to live one moment at a time, to enjoy every moment that he gives us and to live it out to the full. We become restless when we look back, or when we try to rush forward because we are disillusioned with the present.
Ecclesiastes talks about there being a time and a season for everything. Let us rest in the season that we are in!

Unschooling

2009-08-20T21:37:00.000-07:00

I have really molded quite nicely into the lifestyle of unschooling. I didn't realize it until today when, whilst taking on other major household tasks such as cleaning the pantry, I suddenly remembered that Ben had done no "formal" work for two or three days. I had a momentary shudder but then I heard his voice and on peaking into the family room I saw him sitting with his five year old brother reading aloud a section on "How television works" from an Usborne book. His brother was mesmerized and once Ben had finished reading he went on to explain in his own words the workings of a television!
I find myself becoming more aware of learning that happens outside a text book. I am listening to my children during their playtime and finding that their imaginations are so full of life it is amazing! They will happily play "Narnia" in the back garden for hours, Dear Son five is always "Lucy" (don't ask me why but that is his hero!) and they just get so absorbed in the story it makes me smile from ear to ear. My son, 14, who has never been a reader has suddenly found an intense love of reading, basically because he has been given the freedom to choose what he wants to do and that has become one of his most popular choices! In the last three weeks he has completed three novels, "Number The Stars", "When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit" and "Chronicles Of The Kings, The first in the series". His openness to discuss the books has convinced me that he has absorbed heaps from each book. Rachel, 16, has also loved reading and spent the day yesterday completing a written narration on "Number The Stars" and then turning it into a book format using our trusty Spiral Binding machine!
This is a season of life that is right for us just now. I need some space, some time for me to heal and the children are thriving in this lifestyle. I am in no rush for this season to end........

Art And The Bible For Children

2009-08-20T00:53:00.000-07:00

I can't tell you how much I am enjoying the Barry Stebbing book, 'Art and the Bible for Children". It is a beautiful, colourful hardback book filled with artwork from children. The Bible stories have been adapted for young children by a homeschooler, Joshua Olds 15 from America. The stories are so well written and my children simply adore sitting by my side as I read aloud to them. The artwork is basic, nothing too complicated, but that is good! because there are examples from other children of all different ages I have found that my children are not discouraged by their own attempts. In lots of art curriculum the work seems above them and quite often they are unmotivated to attempt the exercises, not so with this book!
I have found that doing Bible has become a pure joy each day and my children eagerly await their lessons. Really this is a two in one curriculum! I can't recommend it highly enough.

Jewish Celebratons

2009-08-13T22:29:00.000-07:00

I love to have an excuse to entertain. I just adore setting the table up nicely, decorating the house and preparing food for a special occasion. That is probably why I am so drawn to the Jewish Holidays and their feast. They celebrate a lot! On a weekly basis they celebrate the sabbath (Shabbat) but throughout the year there are a number of Jewish Holidays such as Passover, Tabernacles, First Fruits, Unleavened Bread and Hanukkah.
As a family we have celebrated a couple of Sabbaths with special attention to detail. I don't think I could ever be a Jew though because it was such a momentous occasion that the thought of doing it the next week and then the next was all too much for me. I guess that Jews are brought up with that as part of their life and yet for me it was exhausting! So you can understand me a little when I tell you that I am preparing for Hanukkah NOW! It isn't until the end of the year (Usually November or December) but it last for eight days. Eight days of feast and celebration is going to take a lot of planning........it is bigger than Christmas!
Hanukkah is the celebration of the Jewish defeat against the Greek invaders. After their victory they had to re-build the temple in Jerusalem because it had been defiled by the Greeks who used it as a place of worship to the Greek Gods and had sacrificed unclean animals on the alter. They had to light a candle in the temple but there was only enough "clean" oil to burn for one day. It would take 8 days to produce more oil. Miraculously the oil in the candle burnt for a whole eight days! just long enough for the new oil to be produced. Hannukah is referred to as the festival of light. Scholars believe that Jesus was conceived during the period of Hannukah and the connection between him being called "Jesus.......the light of the world" has spiritual connections to that timing. Interestingly enough, that would take the birth time of Jesus to September which would coincide with the Jewish celebration of The Day Of Atonement.
Anyway, I have been looking on line for a Menorah, The Jewish candle with nine placements. Eight candles are lit for the eight days that the candle in the temple miraculously burned and the ninth...........well, I haven't found that out yet! I was so surprised to find the amount of Menorah sets that are available. Some of them are just beautiful.
The other thing that I am on the lookout for is a dreidel. The dreidel is a spinning top and is used to play a Hannukah game where lollies, money, peanuts...........anything you want! is placed in the middle of the table and the Dreidel is spun. Depending on what letter it lands on dictates what happens. If it lands on one letter the person has to place a coin, lolly etc etc in the middle and then the next person takes a turn, another letter means that the person can take half the lot from the table and yet another letter means they get to take the lot. The winner is the one with the most at the end!
I am looking forward to planning our Hanukkah celebration this year. Has anyone else any plans? do you celebrate the Jewish holidays?

An Afternoon Tea, Anne Of Green Gables style!

2009-08-06T23:00:00.000-07:00

This morning DD 16 asked if she could prepare an afternoon tea, similar to the type told about in her Anne Of Green Gables book. I thought it was a great idea so took an early morning jog to the supermarket to purchase some grocery items.
We decided on Mini Quiche, Pizza, Cucumber Sandwiches, Egg Sandwiches and Cheese biscuits. I am proud of the children as they all worked together to produce the food without my help. They set the table up complete with tablecloth and freshly cut Lavender from the garden. The teapot, sugar bowl and milk jug were all filled and set on the table. The only thing left was to enjoy our feast!
It was just lovely to see all the children gathered around the table sipping tea out of their "proper" tea cups and politely asking each other if they wanted milk and sugar. DD16 cut all the sandwiches into tiny triangle slices and they were just scrumptious! It is funny how nice a sandwich can taste when it is presented on a pretty plate and cut so daintily. Even DS 18 mths had a cup of tea (in his beaker) and thought the afternoon entertainment was great fun. DD 16 and DD4 then sang a rendition of "Old Pa Tucker" a song from The Little House On The Prairie......not quite the Anne Of Green Gables style but the same era!

Mud Cake

2009-08-04T17:05:00.001-07:00

Thanks To Anne for the recipe for chocolate mud cake. I have pasted it here so that I can attempt to cook it today!
WHITE CHOCOLATE CAKE

250 grams (8.8 oz) of butter

150grams (5.3 oz) of white chocolate chopped coarsely

2 cups of caster sugar

1 cup of milk

1 ½ cups of plain flour

1 tsp of vanilla essence

2 eggs lightly beaten

Grease a rectangular tin 16.5 x 26cm ( 6 1/2 x 10 2/5 inches.) I lined the base only and greased the sides. Set the oven heat at this point. Combine butter, chocolate, sugar and milk in medium saucepan, stir over low heat, without boiling, until smooth. Transfer mixture to large bowl allowing the mixture to cool for 15 minutes. Whisk sifted flour into mixture then stir in essence and eggs. Pour mixture into prepared tin. Bake in oven 180 degrees Celsius (356 Fahrenheit) for 50 -60 mins.

VANILLA ICING

2 Cups of confectioner's sugar (icing sugar) sift before measuring

1 ½ tablespoons butter, soft

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

3 to 4 tablespoons of milk (or add only enough to create desired thickness)

Mix and beat on the ingredients together until smooth and soft.

I made a double recipe of icing for this cake.

Afternoon Tea

2009-08-04T01:13:00.000-07:00

A big Thank You to
http://serenadesandsolace.blogspot.com/ for the recipe of Orange and Chocolate Muffins. I have never tasted anything so delicious before! They worked out perfectly and the family really enjoyed them. I had mine with a cup of Lemon and Ginger herbal tea and it went down a treat.

Lofty

2009-08-04T01:09:00.001-07:00

I told you that I was going a bit GAH GAH over animals! well, meet my latest addition..........Lofty the Giraffe! He is a seven foot tall wooden Giraffe that I picked up in the Salvo's this afternoon. I must have looked mighty strange walking back to the car with Lofty in my arms. I told the shop assistant that my husband would have a few choice words to say about my new pet..............and he did! But none the less, Lofty has pride of place in my lounge room and I think he looks lovely.

Rie Nakajima

2009-08-03T22:45:00.000-07:00

I have found an illustrator with the most amazingly beautiful works of art! Her name is Rie Nakajima, a Japanese artist.
The picture on the right hand column is one of hers as are the pictures posted here. I just admire her work so much!

Decorating

2009-08-03T22:33:00.000-07:00

You may have noticed my new look blog. I spent most of the weekend fiddling around, looking for a new layout. It wasn't that I disliked the old one, it is just that I love change! especially in the area of decoration.
I must admit that it caused me a whole lot of stress. I am not really very computer literate and a lot of templates that I tried would not work on the blog. I'm sure others could have made them work but it all went over my head!
Well, I think I am cured for a while. My eyes are sore from eyestrain! I also have received a few comments from people who have not been able to write comments. Gosh, I don't know why and I am not about to fix it yet so please accept my apologies if you can't respond. I am sure that after a week of receiving no comments I will get round to finding out the cure! I can't stand talking to myself............x

Susan Boyle

2009-08-02T18:32:00.000-07:00

If you ever think you are too old and life has passed you by, then please take five minutes out of your day to watch the utube video of Susan Boyle, 47, singing on the 2009 episode of Britains Got Talent. I, like many other, watched with awkward embarrassment when I saw her step on stage.............the she started to sing!

Rosetta Stone

2009-08-01T17:44:00.000-07:00

A few years ago I purchased a very expensive language programme , Rosetta Stone! I chose Hebrew and that was the only mistake I made! The programme itself was fantastic but the language of choice was very very difficult. It wasn't only the alphabet that was completly different from ours but also the accent. Sometimes even I could not understand what the speaker was saying! Anyway, it was an expensive lesson but because we were going nowhere we decided to sell it.
Since then we have not covered the subject of a second language. I tried vaguely to introduce German because of my experience with it at school but the lessons were clumsy and unorganized. I desperatly wanted to purchase Rosetta Stone again but the funds were not available. You can imagine my pure joy when I saw an add for a second hand copy of Rosetta Stone on the Aussie Homeschool website. It was Italian and although I had doubts at first, now that we are using it I am absolutely thrilled~ There really is no better way to learn a second language than with Rosetta Stone~It is simple, fun, quick............all the things that are important for me.

clucky

2009-07-31T01:16:00.000-07:00

There is definitely something odd happening to me lately. First it was the dog, now I have the dog and she is treated like one of the kids! The most pampered pooch in Australia~I even bought her a gold, diamond studded collar! The kids reckon I will put her in my handbag next and carry her around like a fashion accessory.
Now I am thinking about chooks in the backyard.............honest! I have even found the perfect portable chook pen for the back yard. In reality it will probably cost me more money keeping two chickens than buying premium organic free range eggs each week. So what is up? well, self analyzing myself I think I am clucky! Usually around this time of life (18 months since my last baby) I get clucky for another baby. Trouble is that I can't have any more babies and the reality is that I really don't want any more babies (as lovely as they are) so my cluckiness is extending elsewhere..........to the animal kingdom.
I can just see myself down the track with some kind of Doctor Doolittle set up Surrounding myself with animals of all kinds in order to meet my ever present desire for babies. Then again I am sure to be a nanna down the track...........then again my daughters have mortgages to pay and that probably isn't going to happen for a while!
I think I am a lost cause!

Butter churning

2009-07-29T22:58:00.000-07:00

I am reading aloud "Little House In The Big Woods" and yesterday's chapter was about Ma's weekly chores, one of which was butter churning. Well I could see the glazed look coming over DS9's eyes as I read and I knew that I had to bring the lesson to life! He had absolutely no idea what I was talking about, Why would he? We live in the days of supermarkets and ready made produce!! So I set about checking out some web pages on making butter.
I found a simple recipe that only required a carton of cream and a mixer. What fun I.....um....the children.........had making butter! First it turned into lovely thick cream but then after about ten minutes the cream turned to butter and separated from the buttermilk. I switched the machine off and pulled the butter out. We rinsed it through a sieve, making sure to remove any excess buttermilk. Apparently the buttermilk can turn it rancid. The buttermilk will not go to waste either, it is great for cake making. We squeezed the excess moisture out and then salted the butter, finally placing it inside a butter dish.
I can't tell you how nice the butter taste,maybe it is all in my head but I swear it taste better than butter from the supermarket shelf!

Organization

2009-07-28T18:11:00.000-07:00

The past three or four days Steve has been off work. We have spent a lot of time outside the house, shopping for things and eating out. It has been fun but the results at home have bothered me!
The older children have been fine, they know the things that they have to do and work well independently. With DS 9 it has not been so easy. He has basically spent the past few days doing very little. As much as I love the unschooling approach this isn't what I pictured. I still have expectations that a certain amount of "Table Time" has to be accomplished. Math is a must, Reading is a must, Handwriting is a must. All these things require my time. Time to print out math pages, time to print out handwriting pages, time to sit down and listen to DS read. The listening to him read is important because he has a slight speech impediment and can get lazy with his words. He tends to rush his speech and the words get tangled up with each other, I need to be on hand to slow him down. I need to spend time organizing the home so that learning is a natural thing. I need to strew some books, some games, so that the children can see things that interest them and pick them up! When I am not there to do these things then learning becomes chaotic. DS 9 wonders around without a vision, he turns the t.v on and substitutes a good book with the t.v! Even when I do get home I am tired, not interested in schooling and the learning style I create through that atmosphere is tatty, half baked.
Unschooling or delight directed learning is not half baked! the mother has an important job. She needs to lay the foundations for learning to happen. Every day she must seek God for guidance and wisdom for each child. Her time is important~! She isn't someone in the house who merely acts like an administrator or overseer of the work.........she is a facilitator! This is what Wikepedia has to say about the word Facilitator A facilitator is someone who helps a group of people understand their common objectives and assists them to plan to achieve them without taking a particular position in the discussion. The facilitator will try to assist the group in achieving a consensus on any disagreements that preexist or emerge in the meeting so that it has a strong basis for future action. The role has been likened to that of a midwife who assists in the process of birth but is not the producer of the end result.

Out of every difficult situation comes a lesson! I have learned over the past few days that "I" need to be more organized. I need to plan ahead, to make sure that the week flows steadily instead of in a chaotic, disorganized rush. I need to create an atmosphere in the home that produces a love of learning, not man made and squeezed into a forumula but flowing from the life of the home.

Love is......................

2009-07-25T02:34:00.001-07:00

I never expected to be saying this today but, yes! I have a little dog. Never in a million years did I think I would end up with a poodle............a toy poodle, it was probably the last dog on my list, but when it came to the crunch I wanted a small dog that preferably didn't shed. That left a poodle!
She came to our home this morning. A pure bred Toy poodle by the name (after much family debate) of Fifi. She is an absolute darling! the children adore her, and dare I say "shoosh, don't tell anyone I said this" but so does Steve!!! In fact, he chose her name!

Another breed..............

2009-07-24T10:52:00.001-07:00

I know God made us all, I know he loves us all..........but some people drive me nuts! Yesterday I had the pleasure of meeting one of life's more unusual people, a "doggy person". Now, don't get me wrong, I love dogs, but some people's vocation in life is to love dogs more than people and it is these people that I find difficult to understand.
After a two hour drive into woop woop to see a potential dog I was invited into the home of Mrs Dog Lover herself. As I drove up to the house, in the middle of nowhere, I was met with Dogs............lots and lots and lots of dogs. The smell of doggy pooh filled the air. There were even statues of dogs placed strategically around the front garden. The number plate on the car showed evidence of the dogs inside(and outside)...........PUGZ. On being received into the home I found myself standing in what I presumed was the lounge room. There were play pens set up all over the room with dogs and puppies in each one. I counted at least twenty dogs in one room! The smell just about knocked me out and it wasn't long before I discovered why. Dog poo lay around in every playpen. There was no floor to the playpens, only the woman's wooden floor boards, so you can imagine how the smell of urine and poo had penetrated! I had gone to see an adult dog, a three year old Pug who had not proven herself in the show ring so the owner had decided to sell her. I was expecting a quiet, placid animal after my intensive research on the internet, but instead I was met by a pounding, galloping animal who looked like she was high on drugs! She jumped all over me, knocked my DD 5 over and proceeded to run around the room like a dog pocessed! I was then asked if I wanted to see the other two available dogs, a 2 year old and 4 year old pug. These dogs were owned by her son who was being transferred interstate and wanted to sell the dogs together as a pair. Well, talk about overweight pug! They resembled pigs more than pugs. I was losing interest rapidly! Poor DD4 was terrified of the commotion and had lifted herself up to be held by her elder sister, DD16. It was then that Mrs Doggy Lady told me in no uncertain terms that she would never let one of her babies go to a family with a child who was behaving so poorly as mine! She looked at DD4 and said, "You will have to wait till you are older to get a puppy because you are behaving badly and upsetting the dog" Well, it was all I could do to hold my tongue! I wanted to get into a verbal fight with this woman and I had to force myself to stay quiet~ I tried to explain that my daughter was not used to having a dog in the house and the behaviour of her dogs was overwhelming for her. By that stage Mrs Doggy Poo was on her way back inside with all the pugs and I was left outside fuming. It was a long drive home................................Well, I had been to another planet me thinks.

SQUEEEEEEEL

2009-07-21T04:51:00.000-07:00

Fresh start to a new term

2009-07-21T02:20:00.000-07:00

"The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty." - Winston Churchill

I love this quote from Winston Churchill, it speaks a volume to me. So instead of boring you with the minute details of how my unschooling schedule didn't work out as intended on the first week of term three, I will tell you instead that there is a large scope for future potential.
Suffice to say, the schedule that I took two weeks to write up and stick on the fridge was torn up in frustration today and as of tomorrow there will be no more written schedules............they are banned! We will simply go with the flow and enjoy each second, minute, hour as the day progresses.
Ahhh, that feels better!

What makes a good blog?

2009-07-18T04:42:00.000-07:00

What makes a good blog? What attracts you to certain blogs?
My favourite are the ones that radiate a warmth, a feeling that I am sitting curled up on a cozy chair near a burning log fire and listening to a dear friend share her heart.
I am attracted to crafty, arty blogs where there are lots of pictures of work that is being produced in the home.
Another style that interest me is reading about the day to day life of long term homeschool families! I think they have so much to share and I love to be a part of it.
One blog that I love visiting is a Catholic Homeschool mum. She is so devout in her faith, most of which just blows me away as I have very little understanding of the Catholic faith. Her blog is full of stories of the saints and the lithergical year...........It is all new to me!But I am impressed by her sincerity and I just love reading about her daily walk!
What makes a blog enjoyable for you?

Charlie

2009-07-17T21:59:00.000-07:00

The picture of the cute puppy on the left of the screen is my Cavoodle Puppy, Charlie! I would like to tell you that I have him in real life............but I don't! He is nothing more than my desktop puppy, a picture of a puppy that I will probably never own in real life. Husband has said "NO NO NO" too many times now so I have resigned myself to a cyber puppy instead. "Sigh". Anyway, I have taken a dvd out of the video store to watch with hubby tonight..................."Marley And Me" "evil grin"

Botany Notebook

2009-07-17T03:27:00.000-07:00

Today I received my new Botany Notebooking Journal by Jeannie Fulbright. It is just awesome! I am thinking that it is just too nice to use and I might have to photocopy the pages so that I can re-use it with the younger children. I'll have to check the book to see if I am allowed to do that.
I love Notebooking. It is such a delightful way to bring learning to life. The children love creating their own Notebooks and turning them into a work of art. I get a lot of use from my comb binder but today a lady on the homeschool site shared information about another binding machine that makes the process of taking and adding pages from notebooks much easier. I will have to look into it. Thank God for the education rebate!

Time flies...........

2009-07-15T22:45:00.000-07:00

Time just flies. It seemed like only yesterday when Miss 16 was sitting on my knees desperatly trying to read the early reading lesson from a major curriculum supplier. She struggled so much to learn and it was a constant source of worry for me. It took her almost three years before she could read well enough to complete lessons on her own. I didn't hold much faith for her future , academicaly speaking.
Today I sit here typing and see a totally different picture. Miss 16 is a gifted musician who plays guitar with the worship team at church. (The picture is one that she posted herself! her nickname is "Rat" and this is apparently her playing guitar!.........she has a great sense of humour)She is a second Dan Black belt in Tae Kwon Do and teaches on a casual basis at the academy. And shortly she will begin her TAFE course, Cert 111 in Fitness! She is working towards becoming a qualified senior Tae Kwon Do instructor. Her future looks bright and I only wish I knew then what I know now. How many hours I wasted worrying about her future. The most imporant lessons for Miss R were not the hours of accademic work that I forced upon her. Her turning point came after I read "I saw the Angel in the Marble" by Chris and Ellyn Davis. It was only then that I started to see the gifts that God had placed in my daughter and not to focus on the academic gifts that she didn't have. Taking private music lessons and begining Tae Kwon Do at the "old" age of 13 was the best decision we ever made! I have seen so many young children who were forced into music lessons and sport lessons, only to grow tired and drop out after a year or two. For us, the older starting age was appropriate as they had the maturity to handle the physical aspects as well as being receptive to the discipline needed to improve.
So shortly I will have one less child in our little homeschool. It is happy yet sad at the same time. I just hope that I can remember this lesson when I have my moments of doubt with the younger children.

Bible Notebooking

2009-07-15T04:00:00.000-07:00

I was thrilled to discover these beautiful Bible Character Notebooking pages. My brain is ticking over with ideas for the children to complete some of these and form a Bible Notebook.
I also used the Quiet time notebook pages to make my own journal for church. I made the cover from cardstock and printed a beautiful Renoir picture to stick on the front and then I laminated it. I was so proud of my little creation and couldn't wait to use it in church!
Check these out www.notebookingpages.com

Holiday reading

2009-07-14T18:22:00.000-07:00

I have enjoyed the school holidays. I have managed to read two books in that time, "Ignite The Fire" by Terrie Camp and "Christian Unschooling" by Teri J Brown with Elissa M Wahl. Both books were different and yet similar in many ways.
I got the same feeling after reading these books as I did ten years ago after first reading " The Successful Family Homeschool Family" by the Moores. It is a warm, fuzzy feeling! it sets my brain ticking over with enthusiasm, something which most curriculum based books never do. I was particuarly delighted wit the "Christian Unschooling" book because it far exceeded my expectations. After ordering it I started to question my decision! I thought that it might just confuse me more as I was heading in a Delight Directed path and felt that, from what I had read online, that Unschooling was completely down the oposite path. It really did shatter that thought. Infact now that I have read it I can see that the two work very well together and not much seperates them.
Some of my favourite passages;
"Sometimes I think how Jesus taught the desciples. If you think about it, they were in a sense, unschoolers. They followed him, ate with him, worked with him and listened to him. He taught them about faith. He taught them about his father."

"We are diligent in finding mentors for them, in searching out creative ways to satisfy their curiosity, in being there for them every day to facilitate their learning. This is another fallacy, that unschoolers are not involved in their children's education. In reality, unschoolers are among the most diligent people I have met."

"Unschooling means to me, using whatever works for each child to fullfill their potential. It is not seperating learning from life, but embracing learning through everyday activities. It is not following a scope and sequence developed by professionals, but using teachable moments to teach our chldren what they need, when they need it."

Oh, so many more that I could add! I was inspired by every page. I am looking forward to hearing from God as he directs my path and leads me on.

Nature Journal

2009-07-11T02:10:00.000-07:00

I love nature journals! I love nature! There is nothing nicer for me than walking in the rain.........really! I bought my toddlers some gumboots and an umbrella so that the weather didn't stop us from enjoying a walk outside. We have had a lot of rain lately and it is fascinating to watch the changing scenery around us due to the heavy rainfall.
Do you struggle with what to put in your nature journal? I know that I did, that is until I discovered the nature journal by Adrienne Olmstead.
Let your childern experience and reflect upon the outdoors with My Nature Journal. This charming book is divided into ecosystem chapters named after meadows, seashores, and more; within these chapters, activities let the children learn to explore, understand simple environmental facts, and reflect upon how they feel. Two-color illustrations, journal prompts, activities, informational pages, games, ample room for note taking, personalization and more make this book a complete resource for chronicling outdoor adventures. A very sturdy hardcover with hidden spiral binding and thick pages should endure for treks and all manner of activities. Index, glossary, and nature list to keep track of all observations are included in the back. 173 pages.

Real Life

2009-07-08T22:45:00.001-07:00

I haven't shared too much about this situation but over the past 16 months I have been working through a serious addiction to the internet and internet shopping. My addiction has left us in a sad and sorry state financially. I sometimes think I have lost my husband's trust in that area. Through good counseling I realized that the root of my problem was loneliness. Over a long period of time I had withdrawn myself from the outside community and become more and more of a loner. It wasn't until we experienced a traumatic event in our family that we realized how isolated our world had become.
I have been making steps towards change. It doesn't happen overnight! I have returned to church, not the church we have belonged to for 14 years but a much smaller local church. Steve has come with me once but he is battling his own demons in relation to church and God. It is good to have people in my life again. Of course I have my darling Mum and sister but as much as I love them they are not Christians and there are some things that I can't share with them. Last Friday night a group of the ladies from church went out for a coffee. I haven't laughed as much in a long time.......it felt good.
I have cut my internet time back drastically. I still seek the support and fellowship of other homeschoolers but even that, at times, is disapointing. There is nothing like real life friendships. Sometimes things that are said can be taken the wrong way. There is nothing better than a conversation with someone in real life! words are only part of the conversation, the eyes tell a thousand stories just on their own! the hand movements, the facial expressons. All these things are hard to convey online.
My long term goal is to reach a stage where my life is so full that the internet has little place in my day. Then I will know that I have received my healing.

Barry Stebbing Art

2009-07-07T17:58:00.000-07:00

I apologize for sounding like an advertisement for Home School products, but I simply must give this one a plug! Art And The Bible For Children by Barry Stebbing.
I don't usually plug American sites when an item is available in Australia but this is on special at christian book in America for $14.99 (about $20 Aus) and with postage at only $10 ($15) it is still a massive saving off the original price. www.christianbook.com
Your children will be excited to start creating their own biblically-based masterpieces after looking through the artwork in Art and the Bible for Children! Favorite Bible stories are written at an elementary level for each child to understand, while art lessons and discussion questions at the end of each story provide a fun way to reinforce the lesson and basic art skills. Draw and color a nighttime sky from Genesis' creation week, Ruth in Boaz' field, and Jesus in the midst of seven golden candlesticks, as you move from Genesis through Revelation. Illustrated by homeschoolers, the glossy, full-color pages make looking through this book a treat--and serves as inspiration to get drawing! Perfect for homeschool lessons, Sunday Schools, or Christian schools. 275 pages, hardcover. Pages are reproducible for classroom use.

Centred around Art

2009-07-06T21:46:00.000-07:00

I enjoy art so much that I think it would be lovely to centre our education around it. The children wouldn't complain, of that I'm sure.
One of my recent finds has filled a gap quite beautifully.............Draw And Write Through History. It is available through Christian Book Store in America, a store where I have purchased a number of items over the years. www.christianbook.com
It is similar in format to the Draw Write Now series of books, but in my opinion it is much more practical. There are currently four books in the series.
My son will do anything to escape writing (narration) but is quite happy to copy an Historical picture in detail!
This book is an excellent resource if you want to brighten up your History portfolios.

Winter

2009-07-06T17:09:00.001-07:00

IN WINTER I'M ROUNDER.

In winter I'm rounder
and fatter than before.
I'm wearing coats and sweaters
and woolen hats galore.
My hands are as plump as kittens
when I'm wearing winter mittens.
My legs in thick, snug snow pants
look like an elephant's.
Indeed, I must confess
that when I do undress,
I feel as small and light
as a bird flown out of sight.

~~By Sandra Liatsos..~~

Art

2009-07-06T17:03:00.000-07:00

Dogs

2009-07-06T03:45:00.000-07:00

When we first married it wasn't long before I fell pregnant with our eldest daughter. When she was one year old I got clucky but thinking that it was too soon to have another baby we bought a dog instead! I wish I could tell you that the dog was a good idea but I can't. She was a blue healer cross and she drove me crazy! She would jump up at the washing line and pull all my freshly laundered clothes down. She chewed everything! all of our shoes became victims of the Blue Healer bite. I read somewhere that having two dogs could settle a bad dog down (who wrote that.........let me at him) so believing everything that I am told we started hunting for another dog. This time we bought a small dog, a Dachshund cross! We called her Esther (after my favourite Bible Story) and she was the most placid dog we could have hoped for. Sadly she didn't have any impact on the Blue Healer! all it did was emphasize her bad behaviour. Eventually we gave the Blue Healer to someone who could provide her with a bit more land to run around on, which left us with one good dog. Esther was a real family pet. She thought she was human! we all loved her. It was a sad day when at 10 years old she became so sick that we were advised to have her put down. That was 10 years ago and we haven't owned a dog since..............
Suddenly, out of the blue, I am thinking about another dog. Steve thinks that I am being silly and it is just because I know that I can't have any more babies. I don't know, maybe that is true! But I have spent hours on the internet checking out Dog breeds. One minute I want a Golden Retriever but then I hear that they love to chew furniture............um, not a good idea. Then I want a Pug, just like the one that Don Burke had on his show, "Burkes Backyard". Then I read that they can have breathing problems. So I go through the list, poodles, Labradors, Beagles, West Highland Terriers, Old English Sheepdog.............and then I find the perfect dog for me....a Cavoodle! a King Charles Cavalier Spaniel cross Miniature Poodle. Apparently they have the beautiful nature of a King Charles without the health issues and the best bit of all.............they hardly molt because of the poodle cross. I want one, I want one, I want one. I even have a name picked out. But............and this is a big BUT...my husband says "NO". Under no circumstances is he going to buy a dog because he thinks that after five minutes my interest will wane and he will do all the walking, picking up dog muck, cleaning etc etc etc.
So what does a girl do in this situation? well, I will sulk of course................

Autumn

2009-07-04T18:48:00.000-07:00

Just lately I have been reflecting on my life. God has shown me that life is like the seasons, Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter.
Spring was my childhood! everything was fresh, new, exciting. Life was blooming in every direction and the world lay at my feet.
Summer was My youth and beyond. A time of growth, life, newness. I saw my years of childbearing as an eternal Summer! As much as I never wanted Summer to end there came a time when My body could not cope with producing new life. My season of childbearing had ended. I had to move on...........
I didn't want to embrace the Autumn. I wanted to stay in Summer. I couldn't see my life without pregnancy, birth, young babies and toddlers. And yet at the same time I was growing tired. I didn't have the same energy levels that I had in my early twenties. I seemed to need more rest! I didn't want to look ahead and embrace a new season. What did Autumn have to offer me? But as God quietly led me along the path I started to view things in a different light. I am still surrounded by children! Although two are now married I am blessed to have seven at home. My youngest is only 17 months and it is exciting to watch him grow. He will always be my baby. Every stage is exciting in the knowledge that this is the last baby. I love watching my children grow older, becoming confident in who they are. I love to see them growing in their own faith walk. I love my married daughters and their husbands. I am so blessed. I look forward to the Autumn season because it is a time for me and my husband. A time where we get to reap the harvest. Often we sowed in tears but the Bible tells us that we will reap in joy. There are so many things that I have not been able to do in the other seasons of life. My hobbies and interest were often put aside for more urgent needs. I look forward to spending more time painting, scrapbooking and even sewing! I look forward to having some holidays without crying, whinging babies in the back seat of the car who hate any journey longer than thirty minutes! A life without nappies! I can't even imagine that as I have been buying nappies constantly for 23 years! I look forward to concentrating on my health and appearance, a luxury for a new mum! I have let my body go, let health issues go unchecked
My Autumn time! The leaves still cling to the branches and are afire with color. We are strong, fearless and finally able to say and do what we feel is right rather than worrying about what others might think. It's a good time to be alive.

Flowing through life

2009-06-30T22:44:00.001-07:00

I don't really know how you would describe our style of home education right now. It isn't purely Unstructuredl and it isn't purely Delight Directed. It is kind of in the middle! I got tired of reading information about certain styles and trying to fit into the mold. I am just going with the flow! On Monday we spent the day doing errands around the house. Master 14 cleaned the shed out on the condition that I would allow him to check out the suburbs junk collection in search of broken scooters! Our local council do a regular junk pick up and people leave their unwanted trash on the side of the kerb. There is a lot of treasure in someone else's junk.........believe me!Master 14's hobby at the moment is fixing up broken scooters, changing wheels around, putting on new handles etc etc. I honestly can't see the enjoyment in it, but I am tired of my garden looking like a scrap metal yard, so I told him if he cleaned out the shed he could move all his junk....umm... scooters... in there to work on.
I have been doing a lot of art work lately. I love painting and it really relaxes me. Miss 4 has spent countless hours sitting beside me doing her own art work. Since using Mona Brookes "Drawing With Children" I have seen tremendous improvement in her art skills. Today we all sat around the table doing art. Miss 16 was doing paper quilling with miss 4 and Master 14 was working through a mona Brookes Lesson. Master 9 used his Dinosaur book to copy and paint a picture. He has improved dramatically with his drawing. I was trying, once again, to draw the human frame! I bought an art mannequin to help me!
We cleaned out the garden and prepared a vegie patch. I absolutely love and adore with a passion, char grilled Eggplant! I am quite addicted to this lovely vegetable right now, so have plans to turn myself off it by growing enough to feed an army! I'll also throw in a couple of zucchini plants so that I can continue to make myself.......sick..........umm,...........healthy, by dehydrating them for dips etc.
I am still using curriculum, Can't see that changing just yet! We do Life Of Fred for maths and are working our way through Literature Lessons With Lord Of The Rings plus the kids adore their Science curriculum by John Tiner. I don't have a set routine, if it fits on the day then it is done if not then it isn't!
Master 14 and Miss 16 are still doing music lessons, guitar and drums, and love it. Along with their Tae Kwon Do it is the best thing I have ever done for them!

Big Medicine

2009-06-27T04:18:00.000-07:00

As I sit here munching on a bar of chocolate (on special in Coles so how could I resist?) I am thinking about my favourite show on Foxtel, Big Medicine. It is about two Bariatric surgeons in the U.S, father and son, who perform Bariatric surgery on overweight (obese) patients. It all seems so lovely, nice, friendly surgeons who never have a bad surgery, obese patients that lose hundreds of kilos. How easy it would be. Just to have a simple surgery and forget the diets, the frustrations of trying each day to lose weight and seeing no results. Oh, if only it were that simple.

Ever so slightly frustrated.......

2009-06-24T17:41:00.000-07:00

I am ever so slightly frustrated! This weight loss thing is causing me to do a lot of reflecting. Why? because if you don't see results then something is not right! and that is where I am right now. Initially I saw a significant weight loss.......2.5 kg in the first two weeks. Now my weight is hovering between 89.2 and 90.5 kg.
I am also frustrated because my efforts at better eating have been hampered by a broken blender (thanks raw food diet) and now a broken Food Processor (thanks frozen bananas) So Dear Husband is not happy and I don't have the courage to ask whether or not I can buy a new blender.......yet!
I am NOT eating enough vegetables, I know that. Last night I watched a Kiwi Production on Foxtel "Downsize Me" and carefully analyzed the formula~ The guy on last night's episode did really well, he lost 13 kg in eight weeks. He ate very well though~ lots of salad and protein meals. My diet is not that good~ I am eating less, yes, but not eating as well.
I am annoyed with myself for not measuring myself at the start. I could be bashing myself needlessly as it is possible I have lost cm's, but I don't know for sure. I am not seeing drastic results with the fit of my clothes so am not convinced that is true. I do, however, see results when I stand naked in front of the bathroom mirror (not a pretty picture) I can see definition happening in my stomach area and weight loss in my backside.
I think the trouble is that I want results............quick results! One thing is for sure though. There is no giving up! what do I give up for? a return to a former fat girl with zero fitness levels, high blood pressure and a potential to get Diabetes and other weight related illnesses? No, the journey will continue and I will keep taking "stop and think" sessions throughout as I analyze the next stage of the journey. I am not going to allow apathy, negativity or any other thing to stop me!

Jogging

2009-06-23T21:14:00.000-07:00

I have come a long way since January 2009. On the 1st January 2009 I suffered a major panic attack after taking a long walk on a very hot and humid afternoon. The sensation of my heart racing, the heat and dehydration took my body to an all time low. I had planted a seed of fear about exercise and I knew that unless I did something to change it then I would never exercise again! Within a few short weeks I had joined Contours, my local woman's only gym.
When I first started at the gym my fitness level was poor. On top of that I had a mental battle to overcome regarding the sensation of exercise and the connection between that and the panic attack I suffered. The instructors supported me all the way and never tried to push me beyond my boundaries.
Six months later and I am a completely new woman! I would rate my fitness level as quite high. I am able to do a complete workout with heavy aerobic activity on the stations (The stations are the platforms in between the weights, each weight exercise is followed by an aerobic station) Quite often I am dripping with sweat from the intensity of the exercise!
Once my fitness level was improved I decided to start attempting running. I was shocking! I couldn't even run half way up the street before becoming puffed. I also suffered with severe shin splints and sore knees. I knew that I was being silly, trying to run before I could walk.
A few weeks later I decided to stop trying to run and concentrate on power walking with the intention of building up to a jog. I am so proud to say that today I went for a jog and for at least 60% of the way I was jogging non stop! I suffer with a little bit of calf soreness but nothing like my initial problems with shin splints and sore knees.
I have been told that jogging is better on the grass so I am probably going to play it safe and stick to park ovals. I just feel fantastic! I can't believe how wonderful it feels to jog in the open air! I have a sprint in my feet that last all day!
A quote from Forrest Gump! I love this movie!

"That day, for no particular reason, I decided to go for a little run. So, I ran to the end of the road, and when I got there, I thought maybe I'd run to the end of town. And when I got there, I thought maybe I'd just run across Greenbow County. And I figured since I run this far, maybe I'd just run across the great state of Alabama. And that's what I did. I ran clear across Alabama. For no particular reason, I just kept on going. I ran clear to the ocean. And when I got there, I figured since I'd gone this far, I might as well turn around, just keep on going. When I got to another ocean, I figured since I've gone this far, I might as well just turn back, keep right on going. When I got tired, I slept. When I got hungry, I ate. When I had to go, you know, I went. My mama always said you got to put the past behind you before you can move on. And I think that's what my running was all about. I had run for three years, two months, 14 days, and 16 hours."

That's from the movie Forrest Gump, when Forrest (played by Tom Hanks) runs in scene after scene after scene. The idea symbolized, among other things, the beginning of the running craze that spread across the country in the 1970s. Since then, running has captured the attention of millions of Americans. Thousands of road races and marathons occur each year, and running is the sixth most popular exercise in the United States. But you don't need to run marathons, or run continuously for three-plus years like Forrest, to gain the benefits of running. Thirty minutes a day will do!

Do I need a title?

2009-06-23T17:07:00.000-07:00

I don't know what it is but for some reason I am looking for a title for what I am trying to achieve in our home education. So how do you find a title? Well you Google of course! just press in things like this, "Christian homeschooler who still likes some curriculum"......wow! that will take you off to never never land. Try again, "Christian Unschooler".......got a few more there but still not the title I am looking for! Next attempt, "An education where God leads the way but in a very casual atmosphere".......blank! O.K this isn't working.........does anyone have any phrases suitable for Googling that will help me come up with a title?
All jokes apart, (what, that was meant to be funny?) Why is it that I need to find a title? What if I am the only human being on Earth that follows my kind of education? Does that make me a Guru? Maybe I am a leader and not a follower (nah.........you've been a follower for 44 years!) Maybe I should make up my own title?
So far I have come up with this: "Eclectic, unschooling christian, God Led, Delight Directed with a Charlotte Mason slant, somewhat crazy mother of nine children still wondering what on earth she is doing"

Just do it!

2009-06-20T20:17:00.001-07:00

Oh Susan "HUGS". I just read your post this morning and I finally think something has clicked in my head! Thank You for posting this.
http://kerugma.net/getting-directio-as-co-pilot-1849.htm

And More.......

2009-06-20T18:06:00.000-07:00

I took this out of an article by Barb Shelton;
What unique "thing" did God breathe into your child that He wants to bring to life, perhaps unearth from beneath that pile of curriculum, and develop for His purpose – part of His reason for creating them and placing him on earth!? God has "works that He prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." What are those unique "works" He prepared for your child? For you? As you begin to understand this more fully – and walk in it yourself as you enter a deeper relationship with God – you will begin seeing everything differently! And it will naturally overflow to your children! New delights in all of you will begin to blossom! New purpose! New interests! Let God take you by the hand and open a whole new world to you and your family. But you have to begin with letting go of the "old."

I believe I have a God given duty to instruct my children, to guide them in the right way. To "see" the gifts within them and help to bring them to fruition. In many ways the life of an unschooling mum is so much harder than the traditional school at home approach. The school at home mums have curriculum, teachers within the book pages! They have a scope and sequence, a schedule a design for 12 years of education. The unschooling mum only has herself...or does she? most importantly, as a Christian, she has GOD. The Bible says that "if we acknowledge him in all our ways, he will direct our path"
I have been home schooling for 11 years. Many times I have wondered casually down a path of unschooling but have alwasy ran back out in fear! I couldn't trust myself to lead my children into what could possibly be failure. It was far safer to stick to the workbooks, curriculums, schedules.
Quite honestly, I am not ready to give up my curriculum helps..........not yet! and I don't know that I have to. I have been looking on the internet, trying to find a term that suits me because I don't think I am 100% an unschooler! Unschoolers don't like any curriculum at all but right now I do! so where do I fit in? I am sitting completely in the middle! Is there a term for someone like that?" confused", maybe!
I know that I want less formality, less structure. I know that I want more spontanaity, more fun. So on my little journey I will continue.................Seeking, learning, discovering, experiencing..................

More Quotes

2009-06-20T17:50:00.000-07:00

Excuse me for my monumental posting on learning right now but every time I hear or see something that inspires me, I have to copy and paste it here!

I read this today......

"Minimal Homeschooling is doing whatever it takes to educate our children, according to their needs, without causing burnout, and without becoming overwhelmed."

Yes! Yes! Yes! Gosh, that is exactly what I want.

Happy Birthday Miss B!

2009-06-20T03:37:00.000-07:00

Happy 19th Bek!
You are a blessing to us.

Inspiring comment!

2009-06-19T17:58:00.001-07:00

I just had to copy and paste these words from Leonie's Blog. I should have been in the shower, or cleaning............or something! but instead I was loitering on the computer for way longer than necessary but I'm so glad that I did because this is what Leonie wrote on her blog.

Don’t make cookies to teach math. Make cookies because they taste good.

I love this quote. It paints a picture of how I feel I should live, as an unschooler. Interested in life, yes. Learning and teaching naturally, yes. But avoiding those overly contrived situations. Avoiding making everything a teachable moment.

Everything IS a teachable moment. We don't have to contrive to make it so.

So what happened to the raw food thing?

2009-06-19T17:24:00.000-07:00

You may have noticed that I haven't been talking about the Raw Food craze for a while! I had a couple of major disappointments. First, my blender broke! That was a major upset for me because I love my blender and use it all the time, especially for blending food for our 16 month old. My husband was none too impressed because we only bought it about two months ago. The second upset, or series of upsets, was that the food I was uncooking tasted foul!! When you consider that it is such a long winded task to dehydrate food it was very upsetting.
My phylosophy on life is that we can learn something from every situation, good or bad. Sometimes in the bad situations it is hard to see positive things but after a time of mental clearing I often find that it is true. There were some good things that I made, zucchini crisps were one of them. I also know that dried fruits are very successful with the dehydrator, if not totally time consuming!
I know that I could never live 100% raw............I just don't agree with it! But I do think that living even 30-50% could be a good thing. I definately need more fruit and veg in my diet so this is something that I am going to strive for. I will continue to hope that one day I will make a dehydrated cake, biscuit, cracker or something that will taste good.

Real life learning

2009-06-19T02:19:00.000-07:00

I received a text message from my sister who is holidaying in the United Kingdom. "Hi, having a great time. Yesterday we visited Winchester Cathedral where we learned that Jane Austin is buried as were many ancient British kings......fascinating! Tomorrow we are going to see an old Roman fortress ruin and then in the afternoon we will be visiting a castle". Wow! talk about a walk through History~ and to think my sister was worried about taking her children out of school for six weeks! To me there is no better learning that real life learning, the kind you do when you step into history itself! I am currently reading "Our Island Story" to Master B, 9, and he is fascinated by the story of the Roman invasion of Britain. We made a model Roman Standard this week and it is proudly displayed in the family room (for now!) but how much information can you really get across when you have no idea what a castle looks like apart from the pictures we see in a book? How awesome to be able to walk through a castle and feel the History come alive! I must stop myself from becoming green with envy over my sister's holiday!
When I first started Home Schooling we attended a morning art class on a Monday. A lot of the other homeschoolers were unschoolers and I thought they were an interesting lot! Instead of being tied to bookwork all day they spent each Mondays doing art in the morning at the craft hall and venturing into the city in the afternoon to participate in a live science class at scitech, a wonderland venue aimed at making science fun! I think Tuesday was Zoo Day and the rest of the week was much the same kind of thing. I remember thinking how lucky they were but I couldn't pull myself away from my ACE schedule so nothing changed for me! I thought I was doing well by taking one morning off a week to do the art class!
So how can we make learning a real life experience, the kind where you literally walk in the footsteps of the subject rather than experiencing lessons from a book. I am not talking about packing my suitcase and travelling all over the world in persuit of viking, Romans and Greek ruins! I just wonder how we can breath life into our learning?

So how do we learn?

2009-06-17T22:35:00.000-07:00

So how exactly do we learn? Well, for me that question would be easy to answer! at the moment I am very interested in learning about Aromotheraphy. I have a passion for it! (notice that word passion.....it is important!) Because I am so interested in this subject I am like a sponge, soaking up as much information as I can. The first stage of my learning is to gather information. I bought a book from the op shop and it has been a huge help in my search for knowledge. There is also a lot of information on line. The second stage of mylearning is gathering the necessary tools. So when the information has had time to gather I go out and explore! I look for shops that sell 100% aromatheraphy oils, I research online the price difference and whether or not I can obtain something cheaper. I have the knowledge in my head to know what I want to buy first! Clary Sage was the first essential oil that I purchased. It cost about $5 more than the other oils and after speaking to the sales assistant I learned that it depends on the degree of difficulty in obtaining oil from the plants. The third stage of my learning is putting all the knowledge in my head, using the tools that I have gathered and presenting the end result! So as I type there is the beautiful, fresh scent of Clary Sage diffusing throughout the house. Yes, I can smell the freshness and indeed the scent is very calming! Just like the information in the book told me. I know exactly how much Clary Sage cost to produce and the medicinal benefits of it. I am looking forward to mixing some drops with a body oil and using it for massage. I Need to research further to see if I can come up with a formula that is safe to use on Baby Joel, maybe another essential oil would be better. The options are endless! It can be added to the bath water, added to the final rinse in the washing machine. There are many months ahead where I know my brain will be feeding on more information and putting it into practice. Then after that something else will hit me..........it always does! they don't call me Mrs Fad for nothing!
Four weeks ago I knew nothing about Aromatherapy but because of the passion within me I am learning more and more every day.
Learning is fun when we Want to learn something. Learning is fun when we are able to do in real life rather than merely reading a text book and answering some fill in the blank questions.
Another thing that has hit me is that some things I will never be able to learn by just reading! One of those things is sewing! I have read many books on sewing, I even bought a sewing pattern once with good intentions of making a dress for my daughter. Because I had never done anything like it before, I just didn't know what I was doing! The book had given me information but I needed to see it being done by someone who knew what they were talking about! A dear friend offered to come over and help me and within one hour I was off and running! That particular pattern became so well known to me that I produced a dozen dresses, all in different fabrics but I could never have done it without the help of a professional~! Sometimes as a home schooling mum I think that I need to remember that I can't do everything and it is a good thing to introduce my children to experts in a field rather than trying to teach everything myself! That is why I have, over the years, sent my children to art school for homeschooling children, sign language lessons by a blind teacher and other such things.
More ramblings, I know! but my brain is ticking ticking ticking with thoughts on education right now........

Stepping back and taking another look

2009-06-17T16:21:00.000-07:00

I like the idea of relaxing home school. I want less bookwork and more fun, a casual atmosphere to our learning. I guess that is why I am attracted to the unschooling method. For eleven years I have stuck to curriculum, work books, schedules and I am tired! I am spending a lot of time thinking about learning, how it happens, what is needed, and the more I think the more that I become convinced that a less formal approach might just work!
My two oldest home schoolers are 14 and 16 and in many ways I wish I could take them back and start again! I have changed so much over the years and I regret the pressure that I put on them to do so much bookwork. They had it easier than their older siblings who had a typical school at home approach! Maybe my younger children will benefit from a new vision, or maybe it will all fall back in my face as a complete disaster! I will never know unless I give it a go! It is hard for such a structured mum to let go, almost like trusting the harness on a bungee jump! the end result might be thrilling but there is the chance that the harness might break and I'll fall in a big way~
I was speaking to my son in law, a university graduate, about his views on education. He told me that a lot of his learning was memorization for test but a lot of that information is now forgotten! Although he admitted to being able to recollect that information if given the oportunity to read through a text and remind himself of the lesson. That makes me question the validity of test! if we are only learning for that reason then what is the long term benefit?
How do I , as an adult, learn? well in a simplified version I guess I learn by repeating a situation! Say for instance I decide to attempt a new recipe. The first time I will follow the recipe book word for word, the second time I might remember some things and by the tenth time I am an expert! But what if I didn't cook that recipe again for twelve months? The chance is that I will need to take another look at the cook book to remind myself!
This is early days and I am still in the thinking, analyzing stage so forgive me for my ramblings!