Blog
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31 Day Photography Challenge: May 2016
Improving our photography skills is something many of us long to do but for many it seems an impossible dream. I indeed relate as I was once a dreadful photographer, think headless, dark and blurry, thanks to the advent of the digital camera my family begun to retain their heads. More recently my skills continued to improve indeed jumped several notches thanks to; reading photography tips, undertaking a course and most importantly ‘practice, practice and practice’. I’m by no means a professional photographer but as someone who, only ‘moments ago’ was a total rank amateur I can completely relate to your bewilderment of all things camera, yet your keen desire to improve. I’d like to support and…
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Library Floor Has New Look
Two weekends ago we began preparations for laying the flooring in our new library. As I’ve shared previously our timber is second hand timber, stored for several years from when we salvaged all the timber from a two storey Convent school prior to demolition. First task is to clean the floorboards from decades of dirt, accumulated as they sat under carpet being tramped over by hundreds of feet. PC set up a ‘cleaning station’, wherein each board was placed in a ‘slot’, the ‘criss-cross’ saws were run along the groove of each board pushing out the dirt, sometimes the tongues needed cleaning too. For two days the children worked tirelessly carrying the boards from the…
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Our Reading Basket: Reminisces & Plans
A constant of our home education journey is reading, over the years we’ve read, cried, laughed and devoured hundreds of books together, these ‘friends well met’ are now part of our family culture. Initially, when life was simpler we began our day with reading, as our dynamics changed this ‘time together’ shifted and continues to periodically as we seek the best way to meet our ever changing needs. It has also undergone name changes over the years, originally it was our ‘gather together time,’ eventually we called it our ‘reading basket time,’ another popular term for some is ‘morning basket.’ Regardless, we’re simply together; reading, discussing and memorising our way through…
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My Daybook: 14th April, 2016
Outside my window… it’s early morning, I love the soft light of the morning. Outside my window I see a mob of kangaroos grazing nearby, closer to the house chooks free range searching for bugs, swimming on the pool are several wild ducks, we’re having a running battle with the ducks to keep them off and the pool clean I am thankful… for the generosity of a sweet family friend who gifted us this week with ten patchwork quilts, yes ten!!! A king sized one! a double, several singles and a cot quilt. Thousands of hours of love, effort and expense invested in these quilts, we’re rather stunned and honoured to receive…
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Library Receives Its Makeover
Once we’d completed sheeting and plastering our new library walls, next task up was painting. It’s currently school holidays here in NSW so this was a task the children and I could tackle mid-week. Jem (7) was keen to help, so once I’d given him a few basic tips on how to ‘cut in’ the bottom edge of the walls he was ready to go. Jelly Bean’s (11) job was to ‘feather’ his edges. Princess(14) helped roll the undercoat on the walls and Michelangelo (16) rolled the ceiling on his own. In fact he rolled not only the undercoat but both the topcoats too, there are advantages when your children are taller…
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*Carpenter’s College Graduation
#All photo credits to Jenna, Campion College Photographer of the day. December last year, our eldest son, *Carpenter graduated from College!!! He now proudly holds a Degree in Bachelor of Liberal Arts. The Graduation ceremony opened with the Celebration of Mass, presided by the Bishop Emeritus of Parramatta and con-celebrated with the College chaplain and several local priests. Afterwards dignitaries, faculty and student representatives addressed the; Graduates, faculty, families and friends of the Graduates with the key address given by Miranda Devine. Then the big moment when the graduates receive their degrees! Three years of study working towards this moment, this achievement! We are so proud of our lad! The application, diligence, perseverance and sheer work that…
- Blog, Extensions, Extensions - Gyprocking, Extensions - Plastering/Painting, Extensions - Renovating, In the Library
Our Library Taking Shape
Building work has continued here over the past few weeks. After gutting much of our ‘old’ house and building new walls, we then turned our attention to building and completing our new library. First we installed the insulation, a necessity in the hot summer months of Australia and also appreciated in the winter. Purchasing insulation by the roll allows us to measure and cut specifically for the differing spaces as you can see on the left. Once the insulation is in, the gyrock/drywall is cut, glued and screwed on. Some of the sheets are so huge it takes help from all to lift and hold in place until the screws are…
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How to Raise a Family of Readers – Guest Posting
I’m certain it’s apparent to all that we’re rather passionate about books and reading here. Reading in our household is an integral part of our family culture and highly valued. Simply, reading is something we do as a family. Today I’m chatting over at Sunlit Pages about how PC and I have fostered a love of books and reading within each of our children over the years. As a bonus I interviewed our oldest seven for their thoughts as to what they believe we did to support reading in our family. The children’s insights are fascinating and as their mother I found it enlightening and heartening to hear reoccurring themes and experiences. Whilst you’re visiting over at Amy’s…
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Catholic Picture Books – April
We love celebrating the liturgical year through reading books, an easy and memorable way. We are blessed to have collected many books of various saints; short stories, chapter books and picture books. Sharing our picture book collection for the month of April, which is admittedly rather small, if you know of any others to recommend for this month please share! 16th – St Bernadette Bernadette: The Little Girl From Lourdes One day in Lourdes during winter a beautiful lady, Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, appears to an ordinary girl, Bernadette. At the grotto where she appears Bernadette discovers a spring from which flows miraculous healing water. ‘Meaty’ and accurate…
