Summer Break at the Bach

Well we girls have just returned from a lovely, very HOT few days at our bach by the sea.

The girls really enjoyed the surf each day. Agent Smelly was in her element (she LOVES mermaids - she has one on the rashy she is wearing) and I was hard pressed to get her out of the water. The Fashionista enjoyed it but the water could be quite chilly sometimes, especially in the mornings, and because there's barely any fat on her, she had to emerge every so often with blue lips and her teeth chattering away. Just a few minutes in the HOT, HOT, HOT sun and she'd be right again.

They finally got the hang of their boogie boards and I got many smiles and thumbs up from them when they caught a wave in.

Each night, once it cooled down we took Scruffie for a walk along the nearby estuary and mariner. We took Grandma J along with us to the bach. She loves the bach and fondly remembers many happy days down there with her husband and The Pig when he was a young boy. So for her to get a chance to spend time down there with the Fashionista and Agent Smelly makes her so darn happy. She's nearly 85, so she's slowed down a bit but she managed to have a good rest and catch up on some reading.

 

We even managed to go out to one of the many cafes for lunch.

 

 

It's a shame the Papa had to work as he would have enjoyed getting away with us. Hopefully, if this warm weather continues, we'll be able to visit there again this summer.

 

 

"Where Arrows Fly" Book Review

Our first read aloud for 2013 was "Where Arrows Fly". It's the second book in the Barn Chronicles and is written by New Zealand author and homeschool parent, Rosie Boom. This series is based on Rosie's own families adventures and life in the rural far north of New Zealand. It is a charming book not unlike a modern day Little House series, with the family living in an old barn whilst they build their dream home. The story main character is her fourth child, eleven year old feisty and likable daughter Milly. I really love that because it's a true story there are no cliched homeschooled kids like some that tend to appear in books and so her family are wonderfully positive role models for my own girls.

Both girls loved the story, as did I, but Agent Smelly won the toss to do the book review on this beautiful book.

 

Where Arrows Fly Book review by Agent Smelly aged 8 1/2

 

I love this book. They have a big family and are very nice. They have a good life and I like how they homeschool like I do and they have adventures. They are soooo lucky to have a river to play in.

 

When the Booms took the wrong sheep from a paddock and sheared them is was so hilarious. I laughed my head off.

 

Milly is funny and she loves animals, like me. She has loads but she is very good how she always takes care of them. I would love to do what Milly does. She gets to ride her horse and milk her cow.

 

I wish I could play spies with them all and go horse riding with Milly.

Our package from South Africa

I have been wondering what to do with the lovely items that we received from our World Wide Culture Swap families. I hit upon the idea of the girls adding some of the lovely items to their journals as a way of remembering these special packages.

We started on the package from our South African family first. It was also a great way to slowly ease the girls back into some school work as we took the opportunity to re-read and discuss the items and look up where they were from again.

 

Some of the lovely African items ... that balm now lives in my handbag and

the girls asked me to put the key ring onto my car keys.

 

 

Paper made from elephant dung ... a HUGE, I mean HUGE hit with the girls.

 

 

I love how this family thought to laminate some recipes and local words.

I must remember to do that myself if we participate in another exchange.

 

 

Amazingly we still hadn't eaten all the lollies so the girls ate these

whilst they put together their journal pages.

 

Eating the last remaining "Fizzer". Check out the expressions ...

 

Agent Smelly's pages

 

 

 

 

The Fashionista's pages.

 

 

These are the near finished pages. They just had to colour the flags and they also wrote some details of the family who sent this to us (names and area) onto a piece of paper which went into the blank area they left. There was talk of glitter ... of course!

They were really pleased with the results and being in their journal, they will always be remembered. Although the girls have started to correspond with this families two boys, that are of a similar age, so you never know they could end up with ever-lasting friendships. I have kept in touch with their mum via email and facebook too so I too have gained a lovely new friend from this venture.

One Proud Mama

Earlier in 2012 I suggested to the girls that they set aside some of their pocket money each week to donate to a worthy cause. I explained the reasoning behind it, but I didn't force them into it as sometimes that doesn't really teach children anything, except maybe resentment. I simply explained the concept, we discussed it further, and I left it to them to run with it if they wanted to.
 
Last month, just before Christmas, I overheard both girls, who were sitting by the coffee table, counting their money discuss donating money. My ears pricked up and I looked over to see The Fashionista emptying the change out of a money box onto the coffee table. She told her younger sister, that she was giving that money to the SPCA. Agent Smelly replied that she was going to give her money "to the cancer people".

I tell you it was a pretty amazing moment for me. I kept doing what I was doing in the kitchen but a HUGE, warm, glow spread through me. I was so proud that rather than be tempted into spending the money in those containers they chose to donate it. I had in fact that I had suggested it to them earlier in the year.  Granted it was not a lot of money but it did work out to be a a few weeks of pocket money (imagine you donating 3 weeks of salary) and I think the act is more important at this stage of their young lives than the amount.

Today I could see Agent Smelly being rather industrious at the table but I didn't bother her, because she was being quiet and I could see that she was just making something with some craft supplies and causing no harm. Later that night I saw this sitting on the bench. She had popped a $2 coin in the bottom of the canister and plans on filling it for 2013. 

I am really chuffed with the way they have both taken on board the concept of giving money to others. Both the Papa and I donate regularly to causes and we feel that we have been so blessed morally and financially because we do.

Starting a Command Centre

As a big Pinterest fan I have seen a number of "Command  Centres" which look really useful. For those who haven't seen them, basically they are a section of wall that you arrange with notices boards, calenders, baskets (or similar) for bills, etc. Basically a central area for the family to refer to notices, dates, birthday's, bills and such.

The Papa works odd hours and days because of his shift work and for this reason, and apparently not just because he doesn't pay attention to what I say, he tends to forget odd jobs, repairs and dates. He has told me on more than once occasion that I don't nag him, which apparently is part of my job description (who knew), so how is he supposed to remember anything. Seriously you just can't win sometimes ...

Anyway with these command centres in mind, which I decided we just simply have to have with our hectic lifestyle, I purchased my first cork board especially for him. We'll pop notes on it for things that he has to do. I thought we could colour code them, IE red for urgent attention, orange for has to be done but not urgent and green for those little jobs that we would like to do sometime. You know a new garden bed or such.

I explained to the girls what the board was for and left it on the table overnight. I thought I'd paint the frame as it's a bit cheap looking and had hoped to get onto the next day.

I was rather amused when I got up the next morning and saw that The Fashionista had added her own wee requests on it for The Papa.

They read "Make hit for goats", "Start looking for a friend for Scruffie" (Scruffs our dog and they desperately want another one, can you tell!) and lastly "Play with girls". I simply love their priorities!