Saturday

The day started off with Nathan asking me how money was made.

So we jumped on YouTube and checked out a doco on the history of money making in America and modern mints.

We then looked up New Zealand's approach and found a document on how to identify real money opposed to counterfeit. So we got out some of our own notes and went through the guidelines and checked them out and noted all the special security features (our magnifying glass was not strong enough to pick up the micro printing though). Since I read the document out word for word, there were quite a few new words that we had discussions about including forgeries, counterfeit, fake, genuine, vertical, horizontal, transparent and serial numbers).

Last night Nathan was looking through the local newspaper that was sitting on the couch and suggested that we make another newspaper (he was also interested in the real estate section and the large amounts listed next to the houses as well as the symbols used to indicate how many bedrooms, bathrooms, living rooms etc and went through all the listings deciphering them). So after lunch we got to work. I asked him if he'd like to make one on the computer with columns and we could insert our photo's from our camping trips to go with the stories. He chose the font he liked for the newspaper name and dictated the stories while I wrote (and discussed over usage of "and then we" lol).

We printed it out, collated it before Nathan set to work stitching the pages together which he has been wanting to do for a while.

The rest of the afternoon was then spent checking out what vegetables were ready for picking and then off to play with a friend.

After dinner Danielle got out the Let's Shop game for us all to play.

Homeschool Camp

We've been away for 3 days camping. We belong to two homechooling groups but as yet hadn't attended any from the other group since they are a bit further to travel to. However, the opportunity came up to go camping with the other group so we jumped at the chance despite not knowing a single person going.

What a blast!

The camp was held at a scout campsite and was set up for heaps of outdoor activities such as kayaking, flying foxes, orienteering, swimming, abseiling and several confidence courses along with games set up. It drizzled with rain on and off the whole time, but that didn't seem to stop most of the action (except for the abseiling).

The first day our group was slotted in for doing the orienteering course and within the first hour Nathan had hooked up with one of the boys in our group. We hardly saw him for the following 2 days - they were stuck together like glue! Danielle also found a wee group of girls she started to play with in the main area outside our tentsite and would come and go with seeing them over the next few days.

And us? We had fun meeting other families - unschoolers and not and just hanging out and getting to know people. Was a lovely way to get to meet these families in a relaxed atmosphere which means if we decide to hook into any of the organised groups from now on we'll know a few faces and the kids will be able just pick up where they left off.

We'll be back again next year!

Over the last few days...

We've been swimming at the pools.

Played with friends and swam in the river - I popped a lifejacket on Nathan and he would enter upstream where it was deep and float his way down with the current and swim to the edge and repeat. Danielle spent her time building an island from the surrounding pebbly sand and observed the "erosion" going on as the water lapped away at it.

Read a little more of The Wizard of Oz

Danielle wanted me to read one of the Beatrix Potter stories about the Fierce Bad Rabbit and then reinacted the story using her soft toys and various props.

Nathan's been sitting down reading library books to himself.

Friday was a day of runnings errands - to the bank, grocery shopping and Danielle had her "B4 school visit" as her final wellchild checkup.

There has been a lot of train track and block construction going on.

The kids have been watching a DVD I found at the library featuring Bindi and Australia Zoo. We will be visiting there later in the year when we travel to Aussie for my sister's wedding, so thought it would be a good introduction to it for them both. Nathan was inspired to build his own animal habitats from available materials around the house and called me in to check it out.

Had passport photos taken today which of course lead onto conversations about what they are and why we have them.

One of those seemingly "nothing" days

Yesterday, while I was busy with a sewing project I have been waiting to get into, the kids were hanging around the house trying to refind their balance after having been away camping (which kept them busy and entertained for about 17hrs a day) and ended up kinda fending for themselves. 

Through their boredom they seemed to find some fresh things to get into...

Last week we read a library book of a story about John Harrison who invented the sea clock. John Harrison was apparently a patient man (it took him about 60yrs to perfect his clock to win a large prize for solving a big problem of that day and age). While away camping, Nathan randomly told me he was patient like John Harrison when it came to waiting.

Nathan lay outside on the picnic table copying out a page from a book. Danielle joined him and did some too.

Drawing and glueing etc

Hammering and constructing with lumps of wood.

Dangerous Book for Boys came out and paper boats and water balloons were made.
Gymnastics and Keas have started back this week. Danielle's moved up to the bigger kids class (with Nathan) and is now on the floor without me and had a ball.

After dinner, we investigated the vegetables in the garden and harvested a couple of handfuls of strawberries and beans that ripened while we were away.

This morning I noticed a leap in questions and interests...

Nathan found his World map floor puzzle tucked away in his room so brought it out to construct. He then took his map off his wall and compared where the countries were (our wall map is laid out with NZ and Australia in the centre of the map).

He also found a wall chart of the times tables tucked under his drawers and brought them out and spent a bit of time reading them out and noting patterns.

We've just started to give the kids a little pocket money. They spent a while counting then suggesting we go down to the shops and see what they could buy. They weighed up what they could purchase with the small amount they had...one chose to spend and the other chose to save for something bigger.

A batch of muffins were made and clock watched till ready.

I had a game of Mancala with Nathan.

The two of them put together a mime show for me.
Nathan found a seagull feather from a previous beach excursion and told me how feathers and ink were used in the old days to write with. He wanted to know how to make ink. So we had a bit of a read up on it and then decided our Plantain tincture that we'd made a few months back for Nathan to use on his mosquito bites might work since the plaintain soaked in the vinegar goes black. Mental note to myself that he has also been interested in making paper and how to bind a book by stitching the pages together so will find the time to look at those at a later stage.

Danielle then wanted a turn of the feather, so Nathan improvised and used a nearby bean that had been freshly picked that morning lol.

 
Why are stick insects attracted to our trampoline? The kids are always finding them climbing up the netting. Strange. This time it was a bright green one opposed to the usual brown they find. So I rescued that one and placed her (apparently the majority are female and they repoduce by parthenogenesis) on a nearby shrub.

There was some water and sandpit play later on when the day had cooled down a bit which ended in both kids needing a shower!

Summer camping

We had a lovely 3 nights away camping at a local festival. The weather couldn't have been more beautiful and really did help this feel like our summer holiday, albeit short. We've camped there two years now and two years we've only done a day-visit. Staying on-site certainly gives a different vibe and experience than just wandering around for half a day.

Plenty of music, plenty of swimming, walking, bumping into friends, relaxing, making new friends and generally having fun.

We took the kids on a moonlit bushwalk the first night (a blue moon as well).

A bit tuckered out after a day of fun...

Getting more energy for a night of dancing and playing...

Nathan just chillin' with some fabric scraps he found lying around (that he rediscovered in his pockets) that were discarded from the decorations scattered around the festival.

There was a Kidzone tent set up with activities including a puppet show, impromptu story telling and making musical instruments etc. Danielle loved the story telling.

The last night we went and watched some drumming down at the river with a bonfire going before heading back up to one of the stages where a couple of bands were playing late.

The day started off with a few creations...

Then off for a walk down to the park.

Danielle wasn't impressed with Nathan driving her doll's stroller through the sand and it sticking to the wheels...

Danielle's snack she went off to make...Ants on a Log (carrot with peanut butter and bits of cracker stuck into it).

Monopoly with Nathan that seemed to go on for a few hours. He really stuck at it, buying houses, then hotels and then bankrupting me lol. I'm sure we modified the rules, but he enjoyed it.

After dinner we spent a bit more time in the garden watering and checking out our things growing.

We're about halfway through the Wizard of Oz book now.

Off camping tomorrow!

Yesterday was shaping up to be a bit of a miserable day weather-wise (nothing new for this strange summer we're having) so I suggested that we go to the movies to see Alvin and Chipmunks that they'd been wanting to see but we'd been waiting for the discount day. A friend then texted to see if we wanted to go swimming - with a bit of humming and harring we went off and did that for the morning and the day fined up beautifully for it. So swimming went on for a good 2hrs before racing home for lunch and off to the movies. Nathan's self-teaching himself to swim and is coming along really well and is figuring out diving down under the water and freestyle. Danielle's still not keen on getting splashed but still enjoys being in the water.

Hmmm, previous two weeks...

Danielle's little homemade dollshouse.

Nathan was interested in looking at an illusion book that my mum bought him.

Restacking firewood in the rain.

A quick dip in the garden bath-tub.

A bit of blackberry picking after dinner.

Nathan's reading more and more spontaneously. He'll be following picture instructions in a book to create something and realise that he can also read the words alongside. I think he surprises himself that he *can* actually read lol.

Both kids planned and did a series of short skits to show me - they had dressups on, finger puppets and a bit acting.

Danielle's still working away on her phonics programme and enjoys sitting down with me for 5mins most days to do it.

I notice we've been asked a few times if I give the kids a break over the school holidays. My response to my dad was "well, if only they'd *stop* asking me questions..." ;)