Nature Study

A nature journal give the my children a chance to collect and interpret from nature in a way that suits them. It may contain specimens, sketches, written descriptions or what ever they feel like. There is no right or wrong. Collecting feathers is a favorite in our family at the moment.

This is Noah's nature journal and the things he collected on Monday at Coolart from the garden, he also drew a picture of a tree.

The Newest Chook

This afternoon Charlie has decided he needs to get up close and personal with the chooks.

It had been a while since we'd been out and sat with the chooks as we usually do of and evening. He just realised he can chase them now, and has just discovered that he can actually go into the chook pen.

He and this chook "I still can't name it as the names change so frequently I just can't keep up, I have enough trouble calling the right name with the kids let alone the chooks) had a particularly close friendship.

And then Daddy came home, he really like the trampoline too, it's a great game seeing how quick Mummy can run from one end to the other. This game becomes much easier when there is two people involved.

Father and son, how beautiful.

Today was a lovely at home day, I need more of them, I have to get back to why we started home schooling in the first place. Home is a place of nourishment for the body heart and soul, time spent there is so important to me and my family.

Poor little Eli was sick though, but had a good rest.

Josh spent the day at a friends house doing robotics and playing with his new Itouch he got for his birthday. So that left Noah and me to do this and that together, we moved some bricks and made origami flowers to put on cards. He's very good at origami.

Nice day, thankful to be homeschooling today.

Coolart Wetlands, Nature Walk

Today was the perfect day for a walk with friends. The destination was the beautiful Coolart Wetlands in Somers. We had quite a group meet which was nice with some new faces there to check out the home schooling scene. The kids were a bit mental today, so lucky we were outside, too bad if anyone actually wanted to see any birds. Thankfully they had plenty of stuffed ones in the office!!! (Noah took the above photo of the homestead and gardens).

Wildthings!

Our lovely friend Harmony took these photos of Charlie Eli and Noah.

Charlie had a great time playing with his friends Oak and Oden and loving little baby Hazel... very cute but just a bit rough. Too much loving little baby hazel.

All the kids had such a nice play together amongst the trees, gardens and cute little building all over the place.

Noah has the best gap in town.

Loveliness

My Beautiful husband, I love him so much.
Daddy's little boy (AKA Daddy's little grease monkey)

"If only I could hold my head up for long enough to ride the bike.."

Cuteness

PS Charlie is 9 and a half months old here. He is crawling like a champ, climbing everything in sight, eating everything in sight, and standing up on his own, he says "no" and shakes his head, he likes to head butt (as a sign of affection), has three beautiful teeth, claps, waves good bye, goes "broom" with toy cars, he likes wheels on everything too, just like Dad. He's such an adventurous little thing, and the cutest thing on four legs!!!

My Beautiful Josh turns 12

Noah and Eli bought Josh an African drum for him birthday (Eli just wanted to buy him 5 gum, oh how they all love 5 gum). Charlie bought him a new pillow and Danny and I got him some super awesome skate shoes he so badly wanted and are apparently the hip and groovy thing to have (my age is definitely showing). Charlie loved the drum, I may regret this purchase in days to come.

Look t them aren't they just so cute. Josh was so easily pleased for his birthday, he swore black and blue those shoes were all he wanted. What an awesome boy.

And here they are...unfortunately excitement turned to disappointment when one the bits on the shoe broke, Oh I feel so bad for Josh that he can not have the shoes he so badly wanted, we took them back but are on the hunt for something else.

The boys ended the day with a movie (The Fast and The Furious) and are now relaxing with game of cars before bed.

Love Those Boys, Oh and Danny has missed all the fun as he is off on a boys weekend 4wding and camping, but I think he wont think he has missed out on any fun at all.

Birthday Roller Blading

Josh wanted to go rollerblading with his friends for his birthday, so we sent out the invites, made a mudcake and hit rink. He had such a great day and so much fun. A huge thanks you to all the wonderful friends who who joined in on the fun. He's a very happy birthday boy.

Josh speed skating.
Eli was so tops at rollerblading...I loved watching them skate, I love seeing my boys happy and having fun.

Josh had sweat dripping off him like water...eew.

I was hoping this would catch on...very cute.

The birthday "party".

This is what you call swim skating.

Needless to say all the boys now want new super dupa way more bettera roller blades. They skated for nearly 5 hours solid, it wore me out just watching them. Charlie thought it looked like fun and got so excited watching them skate. He also enjoyed finding Josh's birthday cake in the bottom of the pram, luckily one of the dads was keeping an eye on my son, (not like his neglectful mother). He (and the dad) were covered in chocolate head to toe. Very cute though.

Happy 12th birthday to my beautiful son Josh, you truly are an amazing person and I Love you so so much. xxoo

Warrnambool Home Ed Camp 2010

We set off on another whirlwind adventure, this time we headed down the west coast of Victoria to Warrnambool. We homeschoolers took over the caravan park and had a week of fun, friends, awesome play ground, bikes, boats, beach, swims, great coffee at the surf club cafe, multi cultural festival,hanging out, baked beans, oh the list goes on and on. There is however a slight lack in the variety/quantity of photos due to me having far too much stuff (Charlie) to lug around all the time, leaving little room for the camera, so I once again opt'd to enjoy the experience rather than capture it.

Cute little Charlie having a camping bath with his friend Oak. All the girls picked lavender so they had a very therapeutic relaxing bath. It was avery floral and pretty bath,if only I could have fit in the plastic tub...If only I could bathe in a plastic tub in a caravan park witout anyone noticing...hmmm some how I think that would stand out.

Charlie just wanted those waves...

mmm...sand

Eli thought it was hilarious Charlie splashing in the puddles.

Sploosh.

We had a nice play on the beach and a nice (invigorating) swim. Meanwhile Josh was off with some friends canoeing around the lake and checking out the car show.

Styley bro.

A very deep and meaningful discussion about ripsticks.

Charlie had all the girls hanging around our camp (what is it with 10 yr old girls and babies), Breezy was Charlie's favourite for she (she was very lovely), he was so comfortable with her, right from the start.

Charlie and Oden

had a great time playing cars. "See Charlie you have to stick your tongue out like this"

Just being a cute bundle of joy...as usual. I keep telling him to stop being cute but he just wont!

A Relaxing Day in a Beautiful Gardan, Herronswood

We visited Herronswood again on Monday with Kylie and her boys to make the most of our diggers membership (free entry, yay).

So beautiful, so much hard work goes in. The boys just love it there. It's the perfect backdrop for their imaginations to run wild. It's like a stage for them to bring to life all that goes on in their beautiful heads.

They discovered mosquito lava in the pond. Very fascinating to watch. You can see one in the water bubble in the Lilly pad.
These grapes tasted divine...just like Granny's grapes when I was a kid, could have eaten them all day long.

What a pretty place.

These are the weirdest flowers i have ever seen, huge, and very pretty, reminds me of something out of "Uno's Garden" (By Graeme Base...love that book).

This bee was kind enough to stop long enough for me to take a photo. Thank You bee.

Sunflowers are an all time favorite.

And lavander...and bees....

Love these echinacea flowers too, so distinctive and beautiful, I could have a garden full of these, I think I love them even more because they help us when we are sick, clever flower.

I love this picture, what cute little flowers, I really must pay attention to the names of them all.

The pond. They ever so kindly refilled it and planted some water plants in it for us to enjoy.

We always sneak down the back for a play on the tire swing and a climb in the willow tree, and sit in the graa and chat.

Charlie is completely at home in nature it seems.