Holy Heroes Advent Adventures

We have been using the Holy Heroes Adventures, as some would know from previous posts.
We have just received the latest Advent adventures. We have enjoyed the previous Adventures.
I was looking for something new to do for Advent And Christmas Preparation. Funny how thinks work, isn't it.

Change in the Air -II

In my last post I alluded to changing in styles.
Every Advent, we try to make it a joyous time, and try to be less focused on too much bookwork.
As I said Brid has a great activity she is putting her seal on. I think it may work.
We have in the past years worked on Grammar, not intensely but steadyily. We use Seton Grammar. It can be dry, but it has been a great resource. It is also a good filler, when I have other 'things', going on, as I can leave Brid to do that Lesson or two, and know she'll be 'Ok'.
So now we will be using all these skills to work more on writing of various kinds. It has been an issue for a while now as Brid has not enjoyed writing. Mainly due to her spelling,not being as good as she wants. This has changed with skill, perserverence and love. It is now time to change how English is learnt in our home.
So next Term- yes I have it developed already. We always study Australia. We will go on an Aussie road trip. My dear friend , has put a lovely adventure together, and using this we will notebook , and hopefully create rabbit trails and go on a Scenic tour. This will end with a real Adventure...... We have friends coming over next April, so We will travel with them to a famous Aussie icon.
So in all we take yet another turn and a change in the air, in our homeschooling Adventure.
Thank you Lord for being so Good to us.

A change in the air

Well its 5 weeks into term. We are one week from finishing our Maths for the year. We will have had a huge week, as usual, with our teens, but this week Brid & I had a chat. She wanted to do much more craft. Hey, how do I fit it in??? Easy, make room.
Therefore, Brid has begun a project for Advent. She is doing a mix between a Jesse Tree and an Advent calendar.
Today, we purchased the material, and have figured out how to put all the figures onto the frame.
She has been very inspired as I navigate her around a couple of my favourite creative bloggers. Thank you Ladies.
We are winding down our bookwork, and finishing off topics.
I love Term 4, But I like it more as Brid takes a little more control of her school day.
She has sat with me and we decided on what our course of action, would be over the next month.

But my friends, I will fill you in after the weekend. Brid has her first Piano school Recital. Wow!
We are excited as she has put in lots of hard work.
Good luck, my Princess.

what a Week!

Well I don't know about everyone else, but we never have the same week, or day two days in a row.
Apart from trying to focus and make posters and prayer spaces for the month of November, we have focused on Maths and Grammar this week. We are at a very exciting time with Maths- I loved fractions and manipulating numbers, and I have tried to enthuse Brid of the same. So far, so good.
Brid had a writing assignment last week, and this week she was asked to publish it. brid likes to correct as she goes, unlike me, who corrects at the end. I just need to hold my tongue.

All was going well, then a dear daughter asked, "Can I come and stay for a few days". Of course we said 'yes' and began to prepare her room, and realised Brid would be distracted with her big sis. here, but that family hey!
There was so much that they could do together, so it fired Brid along to complete her assigned work earlier than later
Brid has finished her bookwork early today, so they are sitting watching a movie.

Yesterday while we were in town, we dropped Brid at her piano lesson, and picked up her copy of 'Halts Peril'- the new Rangers Apprentice book. She has been waiting like Gaes' children for this, 'its seems likes ages'. Thanks Erin, for suggesting these books. It has broadened her reading base.
We gave it to her at dinner, Which my dear daughter and I cooked together. We always cook together, when she is at home, and I love how we just flow together.
We always give our children there present or surprise at dinner, as we are usually all together. it is a family tradition. It is also the time we would ask a child to present there project or composition to the family.
So thats how our week has been, Brid and I are travelling nicely along the 'scenic route', of Rome.
we have dressed up in Togas, sampled roman food, looked at there family life, and reckon, its nice to visit, but lets just visit. She knew a lot more than I had expected, just from reading library books and other living books.

The Mint

While I was being inspired by Diana Waring, Brid & Dermot went off to explore Canberra.
One place they visited was the Mint. Brid had our camera, so she really made the Mint come alive for herself. she clicked on everything she was interested in.

The 2000 Olympiad Games medals

Brids' pressed Coin. Our older children all have one which they pressed when they visited Canberra many years ago. They are in a plastic sleeve untouched. Now they all have one.

Coin for Bl Mary McKillop. Pray it won't be long before she becomes a Saint.

Brid promised her sister, she would take heaps of photos, so she could 'be' there, so when we returned Brid relived her trip with her sister photo by photo. she lived up to her promise.

Sisterly love.

A snapshot into our weekend

Last week I blogged about our school week, and what lessons we did when.

Well late last week, we travelled to Canberra to catch Diana Warings last Living, Laughing, Learning conference here in Australia.

We were to meet up with two other homeschool families, so we were excited and couldn't wait to get there. I was keen to hear the talk about 'Got Teens', and we arrived with lots of time to spare. Great.

I could relax and listen. Dermot & Brid took off after saying hi, to unpack.

I enjoyed listening and interacting with Diana, and it was obvious she is well used to doing this.

There was lots of vendors to purchase curriculum from, I was pretty right, so I wasn't to compelled to purchase anything, just looking was enough.

The 3 three girls has plenty of time to share together, especially at breakfast. We all stayed in the same place, so a shared breakfast was a great way to start the day. Anything you wanted.

Brid was introduced to babychinos- thanks for that! They had some magic moments in the parks and out at night, that were hard to describe, without photos.

We enjoyed everyones company, but Dermot got into some great discussions. Late night chats his speciality.

We had arranged to go to Mass at the local church St Brigids'. Very apt, as we are parishioners of this church in our own dioceses. Anyway, we were meant to meet everyone for a take away dinner in the park. We knew Mass would make us late for dinner, but we still arrived and the kids hung out together. They collected these opened light pods and had a little fun with those.

After the last breakfast with the whole crew, including our international guest, we went sightseeing. First up was The walk alongside Lake Burley Griffin. We did some explaining, about when and whys, saw Aspin Island- a big bell tower, saw Blundell cottage, last cottage left in the area which was operational as a farm, It was preserved in the '70's- it was going to be demolished. Very cute.

We went to a glass blowing and making factory. We hoped Brid could do some hands on, but she was too young. so We just had to make do with looking, at the various people doing there work.

We decided to go to Cockington Green. Well I'd been there before, and we knew Brid would love it. She was tickled pink, and enjoyed hearing all about the cottages and buildings. We had a little history lesson, and a world geography lesson as well, at the International section of the green.

It was a very full day, and we eventually went home exhausted to have a nice coffee and rest. phew!

Dermot spoilt us, and took us to Black Tower moutain for dinner. WOW!!.It had been raining,so I thought it would be too cloudy, but hey! it cleared as we were eating and laughing. The Restuarant revolved. That was fun and was a talking point to start with. 85 minutes to revolve once. Awesome view, and we got there early enough to see the view in daylight as well.

It was a very nice evening and we certainly had to make sure Brid had her best manners in hand. It was like Diana Waring descibes as a 'chalet suzanne' experience. Best manners please.

I will conclude our adventure soon.

My Photo of the Day

This a great shot, and one I'd like to share with you all.

Brid and her two friends, sharing a special moment together.