Rainbow Sweater

Quick Knit Sweater for Miss A4

Pattern is here

Anzac Day

We read "Why We Wear the Poppy" and I cried when I thought of Mrs Mackensie learning of her boy Jock's death. I tried to explain to my boys how hard it was to think of them going to war.

We read about Sir Charles upham and C4 asked me "Were the Germans the bad guys mummy?" So I tried to explain how in World War II the Germans had a leader who was a very bad man and that not all Germas were baddies.

We watched a movie about the River Plate and the children asked "Why are they blowing up the ships?" and "Did the people on the ships die?"

O7 read about WWI in his Horrible Histories and learnt about the events leading up to the Great War, and he was confused by it all. I tried to explain about why people start wars and fight each other...but it was too difficult.

My boys love their army men and often stage battles. I hope they never have to be involved in the "real thing"...but if they do, that they would be brave and honourable defenders.

Blog Catch Up #84

I seem to be all feast and famine on the blogging front. It is really because I really can't be bothered continually uploading and fiddling with digipics all of the time...it irritates me immensely. So every now and then I bite the bullet and realise I have 300 pics on the camera. Then I look at them all and realise that I have to share some of them...or lots of them as the case may be.



Seeing as this blog is our only current photo album and record of our day to day cominfgs and goings I do want to keep u0pdating it...however sporadically.



So once again here is an influx of new posts. See you again in a month or two

Love

k

xx

It's a Bugs Life

Shoes and Socks

I do love Mary Jane's and handknitted socks. Makes me think of Amelie.

Can you put these on the blog Mum?

Why, but of course I can put these on the blog!

Awwww

When the Cat's Away

What does everyone do when mummy's swanning around the Capital with her mind-twin?

They make crazy straws, and "the cross that Jesus died on" and rumble on the couch.

Monet Masterpieces

I hve always loved fine art and studied art history at university. I want the children to grow up with an appreciation of art and artists. Periodically we create our own copies of famous artworks following the model of art students in times past.

Animalia

E2 has a complete adoration of anything that moves or moos. Take one sunshiny summer day, four eager kiddoes and begrudgingly include some overpriced animal feed and voila...a fun day had by all.

Still here

I'm still here.

Life is busy and hectic asusual. Kids are great, J is great, I'm getting there.

Notables of late:
Winter vege garden is in, hoping it's even half as prolific as the summer one.
Kids are checking monarch caterpillars every day for chrysalis, swan plants are almost stripped bare, hope they turn before the frosts come.
Spent a fabbo four days in Welly with one of my besties...cafes, craft stores, Monet exhibition, cafes and no kiddoes.
Homeschool hols right now, gearing up for the winter hunker down, sorting out the craft boxes, making the winter novel pile, double lining the curtains and piling up the firewood.

Quote of the day

Everyday your children need:
Someone or something to love
Something to do
Something to think about
-Karen Andreola.

Simple huh? Sounds likem y kind of educational philosophy.

Playdough Cookies

Fun to make, and fun to eat. Just don't think about all of that artificial food colouring

Linkity-link here

Satisfaction

Satisfaction is cooking up a summer meal where 90% of the ingredients are freshly picked by the children, from our very own garden, that we have lovingly tended...ahem...let grow wild and hacked through to find the bounty.

Voila...pumpkin, courgette and garlice stuffed capsicums with rice and vine ripened tomatoes.

The only "imported" ingredients being the cheese and the rice.

Taranaki Dreaming

We have had such a wonderful time over the summer holidaying with the cuzzies from Chicago. It was really sad to say Goodbye last week knowing that it is unlikely we will see each other agin for a couple of years. The kids all got on so well with hardly a niggle, the sil's talked and talked about books and politics and philosophy and everything really while the brothers reminded each other of all of the quirks and memories of growing up together.

We all travelled to New Plymouth for a week away together. Auntie B has all of the best pics on her camera...disc please B! But here are a few little reminders of a special holiday.

Narrow Gauge Train at Pioneer Village - Stratford

Brooklyn Park Zoo

Pioneer Village Fire Station
Pumping Water
It's school, kids...but not as we know it!

Say Cheese!

Claymation

Now that we are almost out of nappies we have also graduated from Playdough to Plasticine clay. I am looking forward to the day that I let everyone loose on real clay. It is so therapeutic to mould and knead and create...and it gives mummy a wee bit of quiet internet time too.

P.S. Can you spot some our favourite movie characters?

Slimy Science

As dictated by O7...

Yesterday I wanted to do some science experiments. I made a volcano. I had to put vinegar and baking soda and tomato sauce in the volcano. When all of that was put in, it erupted.

I made a floating eyeball. I drew an eyeball on afresh egg. I dropped it into a jam jar of water, stirred salt in it and the eyeball began to float.

I made a magic icecube. I laid some sewing thread on the top of the ice cube, carefully put slat on the top, wiated for about 30 seconds and then I pulled the sewing thread and the cube came too. The salt made the sewing thread stick to the cube by melting the ice a little bit.

Happy Birthday O7

Today you officially exited from the little cute boy stage into the gangly, handsome, getting a bit hesitant of too many cuddles stage.

We love you so very much O7. You are such a cool kid. We love your quirky sense of hunour, your amazing insights and knowledge, your growing empathy and concern for others and your awesomest jokes.

Grow strong and steadfast O.

xx

Blogtastic

O7's teddy Snowflake had a birthday party
J grew a decidedly dodgy Mo for Movember

We took a walk through the Wetlands

E2 got his hands on a water gun and has been happy as a pig in muck ever since

Time for a quick update on the last month.
Whangamata with family...Christmas...back to work...busy....busy....hanging with family...cousins playing for hours...more work...my big boy turned 7...babies all growing up :(

Snapped