...Today is a bit of a telling day.
Today we swap bedrooms with the children, and make a very large fish tank stand for our paludarium for our new bedroom, get a lot of other housework done and generally will be busy all day.
Today is the day before Mother's Day.
Today is likely to spill over into Mother's Day, but really it doesn't matter, but I hope we can get it all done today anyway.
Today will be hard work but well worth it.
Today I hope it will be all over quickly so we can get on with our lives!
If all goes well, later Today, I'll be posting pictures of our Paludarium all set up, the children's room will be spacious and have a play space, will be clean and easy to keep tidy.
View From My House
Sunset
Friday, May 9, 2008
Thursday, May 8, 2008
From Hell...
...yes, back at the trenches with those worksheets!
We did some science, writing, reading and thinking all in one today! Below is some fill in the blanks about the Animal Kingdom and its groups. What is the distinguishing features of each. The children all read out a line, then when we came to a blank we checked out what made sense out of the "word bank" and added them onto the blank space before moving on. Below is Kai at his best writing (he started writing this year):
Can't forget little Raven, here is his cute and advancing colour in skills, he was barely making marks early this year so when he insisted he be allowed to take part I really wasn't sure, but I certainly am now, he spent 3/4 of an hour colouring in these two:
Labyrinth's worksheets:
Here are Dantes:
Above is Labyrinth's work, but the three eldest did it. Its just an example really of our grammar lesson, which was homonyms. Labyrinth was very good at these, Dante and Kai a little slower, but still they caught on pretty fast, some of them they genuinely didn't know though, as they'd never been exposed to some of the words, for instance hoarse (we are likely to describe it as a sore throat or a frog in the throat which is not quite the same, I know), and wring or plain. So it was a good opportunity for them to learn some new words for their building vocabs.
As I seemed to spend too much time on the phone today to various people, that's it for formal lessons. They played heaps though, and Labyrinth tried reading a book quite a bit above her level.
We also brought a brand new harddrive, 750g, so we could replace one we are giving to a friend (who is having an upgrade) as her system just wasn't running smoothly or quickly enough for Andrew's preference, so she is quadrupling her hard drive in size to a 160g. The 750g is going into our media centre computer, and we are going to rip all of our DVDs and other movies to its hard drive so the children can't hurt the poor defenceless DVDs anymore. Its going to double as a computer for surfing and have childrens games and educational software on it, plus we have Thomas the Tank and Dora Explorer mini game units. We will be buying another cordless mouse and keyboard and making a table so the children can use it with ease. Come late mid-year we will be buying the largest Sony Bravia LCD screen that will fit into our TV cabinets cavity, so it will be all good stuff. We already have an excellent portable TV card, we ditched pay for TV because there was too much crap on it, to be honest. Yes, the National Geo and Animal Planet etc was excellent, but they were not worth the extra monthly expense, we will put that into buying DVDs to rip, including docos and educational ones (at the moment will be things like Muzzy in Spanish, Japanese and German and lots on ocean and fishies and animals, that kind of thing). We considered getting a play station, but nah, not yet if it all. Games on PC, surfing the web etc can all be done anyway, so what's the point.
For typing we have Sponge Bob Square Pants Teaches Typing, but personally I prefer Typing of the Dead. Other home edding software we have: Reader Rabbit, The Land Before Time, Dr Suess, Clue Finders, Arthur, Blues Clues, Dora the Explorer, Garfield and others that I can't recall and I'm too lazy to get up and look for them at the moment. Oh, there is crappy Bratz, but honestly, that doesn't really count, does it?
Considering buying a sewing machine, yes I who broke more than one in class (I won't say exact amount because it's embarressing), but I'm convinced that it was all the sewing teacher's faults for not teaching me properly (as I can sew a bit now, and I even did a TAFE course for about 2 weeks and none of them got broken). I just want to make cushions and toys and use it for scrapping (and making curtains), just fun stuff really. I don't think I'll ever be patient enough to make clothes, but we'll see... the stuff in the shops gets me down and in my head is much better than mass produced crud anyway. Plus Labyrinth is very short and her figure is strange, so nothing fits, she has a thicker, stronger more athletic body, so she has to go for 10-12 sizes but they are all too long! She is also designing clothes at the moment, so maybe.
The ways we change... and grow and learn...
We did some science, writing, reading and thinking all in one today! Below is some fill in the blanks about the Animal Kingdom and its groups. What is the distinguishing features of each. The children all read out a line, then when we came to a blank we checked out what made sense out of the "word bank" and added them onto the blank space before moving on. Below is Kai at his best writing (he started writing this year):
Can't forget little Raven, here is his cute and advancing colour in skills, he was barely making marks early this year so when he insisted he be allowed to take part I really wasn't sure, but I certainly am now, he spent 3/4 of an hour colouring in these two:
Labyrinth's worksheets:
Here are Dantes:
Above is Labyrinth's work, but the three eldest did it. Its just an example really of our grammar lesson, which was homonyms. Labyrinth was very good at these, Dante and Kai a little slower, but still they caught on pretty fast, some of them they genuinely didn't know though, as they'd never been exposed to some of the words, for instance hoarse (we are likely to describe it as a sore throat or a frog in the throat which is not quite the same, I know), and wring or plain. So it was a good opportunity for them to learn some new words for their building vocabs.
As I seemed to spend too much time on the phone today to various people, that's it for formal lessons. They played heaps though, and Labyrinth tried reading a book quite a bit above her level.
We also brought a brand new harddrive, 750g, so we could replace one we are giving to a friend (who is having an upgrade) as her system just wasn't running smoothly or quickly enough for Andrew's preference, so she is quadrupling her hard drive in size to a 160g. The 750g is going into our media centre computer, and we are going to rip all of our DVDs and other movies to its hard drive so the children can't hurt the poor defenceless DVDs anymore. Its going to double as a computer for surfing and have childrens games and educational software on it, plus we have Thomas the Tank and Dora Explorer mini game units. We will be buying another cordless mouse and keyboard and making a table so the children can use it with ease. Come late mid-year we will be buying the largest Sony Bravia LCD screen that will fit into our TV cabinets cavity, so it will be all good stuff. We already have an excellent portable TV card, we ditched pay for TV because there was too much crap on it, to be honest. Yes, the National Geo and Animal Planet etc was excellent, but they were not worth the extra monthly expense, we will put that into buying DVDs to rip, including docos and educational ones (at the moment will be things like Muzzy in Spanish, Japanese and German and lots on ocean and fishies and animals, that kind of thing). We considered getting a play station, but nah, not yet if it all. Games on PC, surfing the web etc can all be done anyway, so what's the point.
For typing we have Sponge Bob Square Pants Teaches Typing, but personally I prefer Typing of the Dead. Other home edding software we have: Reader Rabbit, The Land Before Time, Dr Suess, Clue Finders, Arthur, Blues Clues, Dora the Explorer, Garfield and others that I can't recall and I'm too lazy to get up and look for them at the moment. Oh, there is crappy Bratz, but honestly, that doesn't really count, does it?
Considering buying a sewing machine, yes I who broke more than one in class (I won't say exact amount because it's embarressing), but I'm convinced that it was all the sewing teacher's faults for not teaching me properly (as I can sew a bit now, and I even did a TAFE course for about 2 weeks and none of them got broken). I just want to make cushions and toys and use it for scrapping (and making curtains), just fun stuff really. I don't think I'll ever be patient enough to make clothes, but we'll see... the stuff in the shops gets me down and in my head is much better than mass produced crud anyway. Plus Labyrinth is very short and her figure is strange, so nothing fits, she has a thicker, stronger more athletic body, so she has to go for 10-12 sizes but they are all too long! She is also designing clothes at the moment, so maybe.
The ways we change... and grow and learn...
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
The Rain Came Down and the Fun Began!
We are currently fixing a friends computer and giving it a massive upgrade at the moment, and so she brought it around for surgery this morning. She also brought along a box of musical instruments and a keyboard which the children really really enjoyed playing with and Raven of course was in his element. He just doesn't make a bad sound for his age...
So we has a lovely visit and the beautiful fire was roaring and rain was pouring down and it felt like winter for the first time this year to me. And the funny thing is, I usually dread winter but today I felt really positive about it and I remembered all the things I really love about winter, like the warmth of a fire, the invigorating chill of an early morning, the muted colours and the snow.... I really hope we have a good fall this year, and lots of hot choc after a play in the snow always is really special.
After lunch we really got involved with lessons and creating stuff today. First off was a fun maths lesson which was easy for the eldest two, it was simply a colour by addition dinosaur worksheet. We then made mini Koi kites, which are now on a coat hanger and will entertain Monika. They then wrote a small story and illustrated it. It was fun. Dante was fast and not very careful today, which is hopefully not something that will continue. He's been so good with illustrations in the past. They did reading lessons first thing this morning too... Labyrinth is flying, she's about to get her teeth into the prelude to chapter books, which is exciting. We are doing other things Kai and Dante at the moment, Kai is reading all kinds of early readers, as he seems to enjoy those more and his mind doesn't wander so easily, and Dante read a Nemo reader as well, which is perfectly at his level right now. I'll buy him a new one on a more difficult level later...
Well these are the results of our creative efforts today:
Labyrinth, Kai and Dante. Labyrinth is about Zoids, as is Dantes and Kais is about Armies being silly and shooting in the desert.
These are the maths worksheets/colour-ins:
In birth order here: Labyrinth, Dante, Kai and Raven
And for some random art, A Visual CatFish pun by Dante & Swans, Cygnets and Nests by Labyrinth:
And the Koi Fish the children made:
And all the while Andrew worked on our friends computer....Q.
Monday, May 5, 2008
Photoshop is FUN; and some sweet drawings...
Had some fun with photoshop today, because I'm getting some photos ready for scrapbooking. Here is a few of the girls I did for jigsaws, and the boys looking cute and devious:
Labyrinth was given a scarf by a friend so she's made this card to give her to thank her: The rose/heart like picture is cut out and pasted hearts, all of this was her idea too!
Here is a picture that Kai drew for a friend, which includes Andrew and I. He is even including eyebrows in some and he even tried writing his friends name, which is so cute and really close phonetically:
And here is a picture full of emotion by Dante, again, I had nothing to do with these, they just do them without prompting and I think it is absolutely wonderful!
Really, I am impressed with them. I gave them formal lessons in reading today, and I have to say I really enjoyed it. They are coming along smoothly. I have been busy, but not too busy to do informal fun stuff with them. For the last few nights we have been playing card games, snap, go fish (Thomas the Tank Engine), old maid (Dora), memory - that type of thing. So its all about recognising things that are the same and different, negotiation skills and learning how to play new games. Its on both Raven's and the older childrens levels. Plus Dante and Labyrinth as I might have mentioned are taking up the Premiers Challange in Reading, Dante has already completed one, a Mem Fox book (the one they have been drawing about) Time for Sleep. Labyrinth read a book today called Mad Dog (which was fairly smooth reading considering she it was the first time she'd picked it up. Kai read a book he hadn't read before as well, an early Reader Rabbit book. They read and write everyday now, I encourage it, but I'm not directing it so formally at the moment. Its just great they are doing it spontaneously.
Labyrinth was given a scarf by a friend so she's made this card to give her to thank her: The rose/heart like picture is cut out and pasted hearts, all of this was her idea too!
Here is a picture that Kai drew for a friend, which includes Andrew and I. He is even including eyebrows in some and he even tried writing his friends name, which is so cute and really close phonetically:
And here is a picture full of emotion by Dante, again, I had nothing to do with these, they just do them without prompting and I think it is absolutely wonderful!
Really, I am impressed with them. I gave them formal lessons in reading today, and I have to say I really enjoyed it. They are coming along smoothly. I have been busy, but not too busy to do informal fun stuff with them. For the last few nights we have been playing card games, snap, go fish (Thomas the Tank Engine), old maid (Dora), memory - that type of thing. So its all about recognising things that are the same and different, negotiation skills and learning how to play new games. Its on both Raven's and the older childrens levels. Plus Dante and Labyrinth as I might have mentioned are taking up the Premiers Challange in Reading, Dante has already completed one, a Mem Fox book (the one they have been drawing about) Time for Sleep. Labyrinth read a book today called Mad Dog (which was fairly smooth reading considering she it was the first time she'd picked it up. Kai read a book he hadn't read before as well, an early Reader Rabbit book. They read and write everyday now, I encourage it, but I'm not directing it so formally at the moment. Its just great they are doing it spontaneously. Also Dante has been reading about the human body, its sparked his interest. Looking at a page with the skeleton on it he asked his father, "Dad, I can see all the bones, but where is the guts?"
Earlier today around the breakfast table they were animatedly discussing the recent trip to the Botanical Gardens, and Kai asked me, "When are we going again to the Satanical Gardens?" (I asked him to repeat it, it actually was what I was thinking, not some early morning hallucination.)
Later when we told each other these things Andrew pondered about what kind of children we are bringing up. Obviously very cute and sweet ones! Q.
Friday, May 2, 2008
Friday on my mind
Well, today we went and the children spent their well earnt pocket money (they got a bonus) and of course were very happy.
Labyrinth spent hers on clothes, the Fashion Thing, and a milky bar.
Dante got a pteradactyl, but he really wanted lizards, which he is going to get once the tooth fairy returns.
Kai army men and an army boat.
Raven got three Dora boxed games. I think 4 games in total.
Monika got a new dress and some more clothes, mainly because she needs them as she is growing so bloody fast.
Thing about this is they have to work it out if they can afford X item, so they now have a good concept of money, how it's earnt and why not to buy crap (as it falls apart and nothing to show for the hard work).
We also got a heap more foam boxes for gardening, yet to get the potting mix.
After that we went to a good friends house and scratch made pizza! Last day of moo dairy 4me for a week,see if that's whats messing with me. I don't mind I like sheep/goats fetta and I am already on Rice milk anyway. Anyway, young friend's daughter was fascinated with making dough, seeing it rise etc, and she decided she wanted to make her own, and this led to all of the children bar Raven and Monika making their own. It was very good experience, one I think we will do again, at least as a family (then every individual taste can be addressed.) The children later did some painting of rocks. We reallyenjoyed it, as usual.
No camera, so no pics, sorry.
So a good day and a great night, ahhh! The good life!!!
Labyrinth spent hers on clothes, the Fashion Thing, and a milky bar.
Dante got a pteradactyl, but he really wanted lizards, which he is going to get once the tooth fairy returns.
Kai army men and an army boat.
Raven got three Dora boxed games. I think 4 games in total.
Monika got a new dress and some more clothes, mainly because she needs them as she is growing so bloody fast.
Thing about this is they have to work it out if they can afford X item, so they now have a good concept of money, how it's earnt and why not to buy crap (as it falls apart and nothing to show for the hard work).
We also got a heap more foam boxes for gardening, yet to get the potting mix.
After that we went to a good friends house and scratch made pizza! Last day of moo dairy 4me for a week,see if that's whats messing with me. I don't mind I like sheep/goats fetta and I am already on Rice milk anyway. Anyway, young friend's daughter was fascinated with making dough, seeing it rise etc, and she decided she wanted to make her own, and this led to all of the children bar Raven and Monika making their own. It was very good experience, one I think we will do again, at least as a family (then every individual taste can be addressed.) The children later did some painting of rocks. We reallyenjoyed it, as usual.
No camera, so no pics, sorry.
So a good day and a great night, ahhh! The good life!!!
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Today from the Trenches...
Raven's worksheet:
Labyrinth is coming along with knowing her grammar!
Kai's alphabet dot to dot of a plane:
Raven's cute drawing:
Dante's Sea Monkeys on Mars, inspired of course, by the Sea Monkeys themselves:
Now these are very precious. I read to them The Dangerous Alphabet by Neil Gaiman, which I brought and got signed last night at A Night With Neil Gaiman, which deserves it's own post but later. When the children came home from a night at Nan and Pop's house (in which they surprised and impressed their dinner guests by their politeness and appetites!) they wanted to see what we'd done the night before and seen the signed books and of course have me read to them their new book. I was happy to oblige of course! These pictures are inspired by the book:
Labyrinth is coming along with knowing her grammar!
Kai's alphabet dot to dot of a plane:
Raven's cute drawing:
Dante's Sea Monkeys on Mars, inspired of course, by the Sea Monkeys themselves:
Now these are very precious. I read to them The Dangerous Alphabet by Neil Gaiman, which I brought and got signed last night at A Night With Neil Gaiman, which deserves it's own post but later. When the children came home from a night at Nan and Pop's house (in which they surprised and impressed their dinner guests by their politeness and appetites!) they wanted to see what we'd done the night before and seen the signed books and of course have me read to them their new book. I was happy to oblige of course! These pictures are inspired by the book:
D is for Ducks and Dante:
K is for Kai: (with kites and kanoes)
L is for Labyrinth who loves lollies (which are yummy) and lions:
They've been busily working on a collaborative book inspired by Mem Fox's Time for bed. So today was about worksheets and battles. I read to them from Dr Suess before bed Fox in Sox. Dante read aloud to the others by choice Mem's book, and earlier Labyrinth did a spelling lesson with absolute ease! YAY! By George I think she's got it! When they've finished the book I'll give it a special post. Time for bed for me, maybe, Q.
K is for Kai: (with kites and kanoes)
L is for Labyrinth who loves lollies (which are yummy) and lions:
They've been busily working on a collaborative book inspired by Mem Fox's Time for bed. So today was about worksheets and battles. I read to them from Dr Suess before bed Fox in Sox. Dante read aloud to the others by choice Mem's book, and earlier Labyrinth did a spelling lesson with absolute ease! YAY! By George I think she's got it! When they've finished the book I'll give it a special post. Time for bed for me, maybe, Q.
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