Today was one of those odd days that combined a bunch of stuff that just all happened on it's own. Love those days.

By 9am we were down in the garden collecting pretty much the "final harvest".




Then we sat down to read some more of our library books. We have been reading a collection of stories from the Milly-Molly-Mandy series. I used to love reading these as a kid, and it's amazing how it all comes back when you get back into it (including the cute little village map on the inside cover). I'm really enjoying reading about the sweet, innocent, good old fashioned fun that these kids back in the 1920's in a quaint little English village are enjoying. It's all very simple, but the simplicity still has a way of the kids being interested in the village blacksmith, the shop owner who cuts fabric, a simple afternoon of dress ups etc.

While making lunch Nathan brought to me one of the early reader books and was figuring out he could read backwards if he started at the end of the sentence lol.

After lunch we headed over to do a spot of housework and gardening at my mums before heading back home. Nathan jumped on the computer and started to play his Reader Rabbit Math CD-Rom. We've probably had this for about a year and he's been gradually working his way through it. I noticed in the past few days that he's been on it more and has worked out a few things that I thought might have been a bit too complex for him. Was neat to hear him calling out - hey, I figured it out! Unfortunatley his curious fingers had him checking out the control panel of the CD and he managed to wipe his saved settings, so he'll be back to the beginning again. He didn't seem to be bothered by that though.

After I had dinner cooking I played a game of Traffic Jam with the kids. It's neat that Danielle can join in most of the simpler games we play now and gets right into it. Nathan then brought out the basket of blocks and train track to turn it into a town. To which Danielle added cars.

While we were eating dinner Nathan jumped up and retieved some paper. He sat down and began to write while saying "5+5=10" (but written as 5=5 10). And continued on with some other problems he wrote himself out. Danielle drew a map of the house with our bedrooms, kitchen, bathroom and accessories.

Yesterday we went for a little drive in the afternoon to find somewhere outdoorsy to hang out for a few hours. I recalled a farm/reserve area that we hadn't been to for a few years so headed over that way.

We were just expecting to go for a little walk and for the kids to play in the stream. We didn't expect to see a group of very friendly free ranging chickens and a rooster come running towards us as a welcoming party. We also didn't expect to see a sign directing us to see some tame eels upstream a bit. So off we wandered to find the eels with the chickens running alongside us keeping us company.

We then headed to the stream, stopping along the way to read an information board with the history of the site and the battle between the European settlers and Maori.

It was lovely being able to sit next to an interesting stream, me crocheting a hat for Simon, Simon reading the local rag that was in the car and the kids just enjoying themselves (there would be a pic of Danielle, only she was rudey nudey lol). Being a Monday we had the place entirely to ourselves.

Playing in the rain

It's been rainy and miserable all day here. Not cold, but just damp and yuck.

This morning I suggested to the kids that we go puddle jumping today and that was met with huge excitement. So after lunch when the rain had eased to a light drizzle we donned raincoats and gumboots and headed out. They were quick to spot a few puddles.



We then wandered back past home and found no more puddles, so went back and got the car and went down to the beach for a while. I read a book while the kids played.


(Danielle making fire)

One day...one activity

Nathan received a Brain Box from one of my friends and what a hit it's been!

He played with it from the time he woke up this morning until the time he went to bed.

First up he worked methodically through all the pages making up the different circuits. Then later on started making up his own circuits. The kit even came with us when we went ot nannie and grampies for dinner.



Danielle made a "Danielle". She got me to come down to her bedroom to check it out. She figured if she shut the arms of the t-shirt in the drawer that it would hang in the right place and then filled it with scrunched up newspaper. And she's got a crown on her head.

More kitchen science

The day started off pretty gloomy and rainy so we got out some of our library books to look for some experiments that interested us.

We came across this one on reactions involving acids and alkalis.

First up we found an oxidised copper coin and put it in lemon juice to watch the acid react with the oxide and remove it.


We then found another acid/alkali experiment which used red cabbage (aha! yes we actually had one of those in the fridge!).

First Nathan chopped it up and we boiled it till the water turned purple. He then wanted to pop the thermometer into it and watched the temperature drop as it cooled.

We then lined up 3 glasses and poured a some of the purple liquid into each.

Into one glass he squeezed a lemon to see the acid reaction (the pink one).
Into one glass he dropped a lump of soap to see the alkali reaction (the green one).


And then my funny girl drank from the control glass and the acid reaction glass with a teaspoon lol.

Very cool!

We then raced out to meet the kids nannie and I bought them a decent winter duvet each since their old ones are falling to bits.

Home for lunch and a friend came over with her two little boys for the afternoon.

Lots of reading after dinner while waiting for dad to get home.

Tuesday and Wednesday...




Playing shop with "beans"

We met up with our unschooling group for a play at the beach and the park.

Today...


Back from the library

A lovely fairy

Putting together a new lego kit - he sat down and followed the instructions and completed all 3 models on his own.

Dressing up her baby for the first time on her own. The dolls dress is one that was mine and before me belonged to my mum (along with the stripey one behind her as well as another couple of dresses) - how cool is that? In fact all her dolls clothes are ones that belonged to either me or my mum.

Helping me make another batch of tomatoes for the freezer

A tea party with friends

Today...

Nathan wanted to do some large scale painting using some of the test pots from various projects from around our home. So he found some large wood panels for each of them and they spent a bit of time creating. Danielle was copying what Nathan was painting.

Then things temporarily turned to custard as Nathan was busy hacking away at the bushes with the hedge clippers and must have disturbed a wasp nest as he came away screaming and crying that he'd been stung. Then again. He and Simon came running upstairs and then Simon got stung. After retreating inside and applying all sorts of things and giving a few homeopathic remedies both ma boys came right 1.5hrs later.

This led on to checking out our Life Size Guide to Insects book which has been a goody over the past year. It's pitched at the perfect level for Nathan for identifying insects without too much text (there is an adult version which goes into greater detail that will be good when he is a little older).

The kids had the book out during the week too while they identified a few random bugs around the house.

After lunch Simon and the kids went for a bike ride...home in time for dinner, they then cleared out the car and had fun vaccuming it...they then sat down with some new workbooks I'd picked up that afternoon and then headed off for stories and bed.