• Blog,  Extensions,  Extensions - Carpentry,  Extensions - Kitchen,  Extensions - Renovating

    Kitchen Coming Together

    September 29, 2016 /

    ‘Behind the scenes’ here, kitchen progress has been moving along.  Two weeks ago our cabinet makers delivered our flat pack, oh the excitement! First task was sorting and matching cabinet pieces, rather a large task undertaking that Michelangelo(17) took care of. Bass(5) was excited to be given the job of sorting the huge pile of screws into ‘like together,’ he was happily occupied for an hour. Constructing all the cabinets took several afternoons and nights, a project made easier thanks to the preciseness of the cabinetry. Michelangelo impressed us with his diligence, often working in the afternoons by himself whilst PC was at work. The floors had to be checked…

    read more
  • Blog,  Travel & Holidays

    10 Things To See in Sydney On A Budget

    September 21, 2016 /

    A few weeks back PC had the opportunity to attend a seminar in the Big Smoke, he was rather excited as this meant he could stay with, and spend time with our City sons. Always keen to spend time with their Bros, our next three oldest also headed down with him. As our City sons were working both days and PC attending his course, the question was, how should our teens and tween use their time in Sydney?   Suggesting this could be an educational opportunity for ‘Country goes to the City,’ I armed our 17, 14 & 12 year old with a list of potential places of interest within reasonable distance of…

    read more
  • Blog,  Extensions,  Extensions - Flooring,  Extensions - Kitchen

    Laying The Kitchen Floor

    September 13, 2016 /

    Many steps have been undertaken over the past two months in preparation for our new kitchen. Back in July we ripped up the lino in the kitchen and found a second layer underneath, wasn’t it hideous? The lino was glued to a sheet of masonite which in turn was secured down with hundreds of tacks, all of which had to removed. We then selected and prepared the boards to fit the space. We glue the boards down and then secret nail them into place. Perhaps you’re wondering why we’re nailing over existent timber boards, the timber flooring doesn’t continue all the way through the room, nor through the house. This ensures we have…

    read more
  • Blog,  Book Reviews,  Books - Australia,  Books - History,  Books - Picture

    Our Sunburnt Country: European Discovery Of Australia

    September 12, 2016 /

    Our Sunburnt Country is one of our favourite core books of Australian history, it covers Australian History from pre-European contact through till the end of World War 2(see pg 7). As the consumption inclusion of living books form the basis of our learning I have collated a selection of complementary picture and chapter books to accompany each chapter of Our Sunburnt Country to broaden understanding and capture interest, on the request of one of our readers. My complementary booklist for the first chapter, Land of the Dreamtime is already available.   ‘New Visitors To An Old Land,’ the second chapter of Our Sunburnt Country, focuses on the several European contacts with Australia prior to European settlement in 1788. The majority of European discoverers…

    read more
  • Blog,  Extensions,  Extensions - Kitchen,  Extensions - Plastering/Painting

    Painting Up A Storm

    September 9, 2016 /

    We’ve been ‘painting up a storm’ here this week. Preparing our kitchen space in anticipation for the arrival of the flat pack has meant not only one room needed to be painted but three, the kitchen and the rooms that ‘flow on’, the dining and learning rooms.  Bass(5) was so eager to assist that we decided he was ready to become an apprentice. Michelangelo (17) has become a master at painting ceilings, which is fortunate as I simply don’t have the upper body strength required. It always astounds me as to how a coat of paint, even undercoat makes such a difference to the lightness of a room. Michelangelo truly did a…

    read more
  • Blogging,  Blogging - Daybook

    My Daybook: 8th September, 2016

    September 8, 2016 /

    Outside my window… Spring has arrived, my favourite season of the year, I love Spring with its perfect weather and fresh possibilities I am thankful… that our children are blessed to have such a fantastic father, I never, ever take this for granted. He teaches them so much, not only the obvious such as skills, but virtues, more lasting and precious. Totally committed to fatherhood he pours his energies into nurturing our children, modeling how to be great men for our sons, ‘setting the bar’ high for our daughters I am thinking… about priorities and time management.  All About Learning has very generously gifted me with AAR Level 3 to use and review. Obviously…

    read more
  • Blog,  Extensions,  Extensions - Gyprocking,  Extensions - Kitchen,  Extensions - Plastering/Painting

    Kitchen Takes Shape

    September 1, 2016 /

    The countdown is on as the arrival of our flatpack has been promised for next week, therefore our energies have been firmly on kitchen renovations and making final kitchen choices. ETA: A flat pack is when the cabinet maker draws up the plans and then cuts all the pieces for the kitchen and we then assemble it. All these pieces will arrive flat in packaging, hence a ‘flat pack.’ We’ll save thousands of dollars doing it this way. Once the kitchen’s external walls were up, we turned our attention to the internal walls. We began with measuring and screwing on the ceiling battens. Whilst the battens were going up, my task was to measure, cut…

    read more
  • Blog,  Book Reviews,  Books - Australia,  Books - History,  Books - Picture

    Our Sunburnt Country – Land Of The Dreamtime

    August 29, 2016 /

    One of the pleasures of blog writing is ‘meeting’ people I would otherwise have never ‘met’. I particularly love when readers email me and we end up striking up a friendship as Sherelle, a regular commenter and emailer from Queensland and I have. When Sherelle emailed me with a request for “ideas for complementary activities/worksheets to go with Our Sunburnt Country – Arthur Baillie,” I was keen to assist and offered to organise a booklist of complementary picture/chapter books. Our Sunburnt Country is one of our favourite core books of Australian history, it covers Australian History from pre-European contact through till the end of World War 2(see pg 7). I have chosen a selection of recommended picture and chapter…

    read more
  • Blog,  Blogging - Link Ups,  Home Education - Australia,  Home Education - Geography,  Home Education - Link Ups,  Living

    Growing Up In Australia

    August 23, 2016 /

        Today I’m meeting families from all around the world at Simple Homeschool’s Global Link Up. This concludes the Read the World Book Club, which despite a keen desire to do participate in didn’t eventuate for us. Come on over and join in the Globe Hop.     Tell us about your family. Hi, I’m Erin. I’m passionate about all things books, have a developing passion for photography and a self-taught skill for juggling large family logistics. My husband is my Prince Charming and incredibly skilled in many areas. His career is in Finance with a talent for Excel and databases. He moonlights on weekends as an owner building, building our large home and…

    read more