Last week....

It was an unusual week. Firstly getting over the very late night coming home from the Canonisation events.

Dermot was sick with a Flu all week. So between looking after him, running the business in his absence and schooling Brid, it was a big week.

Our Unit study on American Indians is going well. Still enthusiasm and enjoyment. We are now putting together the Lapbook, and it means lots of cutting sticking and creativity.

We began our next Saxon Maths book, with Brid wanting to attempt 2 lessons for the first week. That was Ok with me, but by day 3, I could see her concentration waining. Now when I say 2 lessons, they are fairly easy, as they review the last book, so I choose some questions from the lesson for Brid to complete. So maybe 20- 22 questions in total. But then we were back to one lesson a day.

We have a new piano teacher and she has certainly inspired Brid. She is teaching her some new skills and motivating her to play harder pieces. Brid is up for the challenge. Brids 'last piano teacher was lovely and we have only moved on because her Hisband has taken work in another city.

I am continuing to tackle the yards and getting it straightened out by summer.

We are watching our plants grow in our pots. I am going to add more this weekend....it rained so this didn't happen.

We watched Brids ballet rehearsal on Sunday. Very sweet.

Louise popped in and we made bags for her Irish Dancing shoes.

The off shoot of American Indians

Brid has had a lot of fun exploring the American Indians and as lots of children do she has created her owm teepee and camp space.
But I had an idea. I will get my hiking tent out and see what happens. Firstly to find it. Search party.!!
Ok found, Well it is a hiking tent and wind resistant and it was the top of the line when I was a Caving and hiking, and I haven't been able to give it away. And thank goodness for that...
Otherwise we wouldn't be having a sleep out in it tonight. Brid is all ready and has claimed her land and is enjoying the freedom to play in it.
So Here are a few of the preparations. Wonder if we/ she  will manage to sleep in it all night!!!!!

..............she did stay in the tent for a short time the first night...It was raining, The next day was a beautiful day and Brid was keen to sleep in the tent overnight again. So again, we said yes, and well she lasted an hour. Her excuse was it was noisy and the wind was howling. Bless her, she came in and slept soundly in her own warm bed.

whats happening in this part of the woods

Its been a pretty quite 2 week school holiday after 2 homeschool camps. We just stayed low and 'hung out' at home.

But I have put some muscles to work and weeded all our gardens and gotten rid of some of the weeds in the lawn. It has been very difficult to get outside with workmen in our yard for several months, and the amount of rain we have had this last 6 months.

So now its time to reclaim our land.

So I have found the BBQ cover that was hidden under lots of rubble, and wow I found some useful aluminiun corners left over from the shed building.

So this week, I can report to weeding 3 long long gardens with Brid. We now can see where we need to plant some shrubs. They have been waiting for 12 months in there pots. Hope they will be OK.

We have discussed and designed our vege garden. I got a little ahead of myself and planted several herbs in pots. Couldn't wait.

So would you like to see what I have found.

the weeds from some of the gardens

some of the plants pottted




my BBQ cover drying and ready to place on bbq

 

one of our water tanks required by council

Our Lady overseeing all the Work



This is what the builders were building





A jump in together



new homeschool look

The last few months has been driving me crazy with storage issues with all our homeschool bits and pieces. After reading one ispiring blog or 5, I thought I need to do something. But what. I had craft stuff in 3 different areas. OH and S would have had a feild day here!.
Anyway, I had a custom made shelves and drawers made for one young boy some years ago, and its not needed anymore. It was sitting looking lifeless in our Spare room.
So Brid and I unpacked it and moved it to our school area. We don't have a school room, but what we have is effective were it is.
So here are some pictures of our new storage with our Missals, Saints books and Prayer space on top.

Our family Alter in the lounge room.

 I won't show you Brids' desk. Its a little messy, but a good mess. Its a creative mess.

American Indians

These are the resources we are using at the moment for researching and exploring the Native American Indians. We have also downloaded this for extra resources. Its been a lovely change from the usual school day. I have left most of the setting out to Brid, and again she has put together a framework for her work to be completed. I have used a very simple lesson plan. I also have sourced a book by Holling. The book of Indians. A very good book, easy read aloud, and thank you to the ladies on 4 real for suggesting it. It covers the main tribes of North America, in a story. Wealth of information.

The framework for a teepee

One book I forgot to put in was Pocohontas. It was completed very early on and was very enjoyed. Thank you to all the people who helped me source resources for this study. We will update soon, but Today we are looking at our soon to be 1st Australian Saint. Mary of the Cross. Have a Blessed Day

A most Special Evening

Just recently we as a Catholic community were in for a treat in the grounds of The Holy Redeemer Monastery- a cloistered order of Nuns, in the Hunter Valley.
It was the Anniversary of the Miracle of the Sun, Fatima.
We were asked, as a dioceses, to gather around 6.30pm for a picnic tea in the grounds. It was a lovely gathering as many of our homeschooling families travelled from all areas of the hunter to be there.

Some of our homeschool friends

It was then time for The Rosary Procession. Several Priests lead the Procession, two homeschool boys were candle bearers and Brid was asked to carry a banner of Our Lady. The Our Lady Statue was surrounded in flowers and was totally gorgeous. Each Priest took his turn to read a scripture and a reflection on the Glotious Mysteries of the Rosary.

Its she just beautiful

The Samoan Choir sang several hymns and also 2 in there native language.
After a Reflection on The Fatima story and how it purtains to today, we were asked to gather before the Cross for Benediction. All the traditional hymns were sung and it was a very special evening enjoyed by all.
 It took me back to my childhood at another Monastery in Newcastle were I vaguely remember Rosary Processions. I pray we may further be Blessed with more regular Processions.

Ready and waiting for the Blessed Sacrament to Arrive