Blog
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Please Don’t Say Cheese: Online Photography Course Review
Last week our ten year old said, “Before I have children I want to learn how to take really good photos so I can take good photos of my children.” Whilst she made me giggle she was ‘spot on,’ taking good photos of your children is important and something I wish I had learnt before I had my children. I also realised anew the power of modelling, as all things photography is what I’ve been modelling for months now. Several months ago I embarked upon a new adventure, I began an online photography course with Robyn at Please Don’t Say Cheese. I’d long been frustrated with my lack of photography skills…
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Kitchen Creativity: Wins & Losses
I’ve been enjoying a creative time in the kitchen recently, claiming quite a few wins along with a spectacular loss. Wins Kale Juice I was rather dubious about the look of kale juice, it was so green! A friend reassured me it didn’t taste green and it didn’t. I love kale juice, it’s so refreshing. My usual ‘go to’ choice for breakfast and it always leaves me energised. My recipe: Squeeze 3 oranges, 2 kale leafs (strip off stalks) and a pear (optional) Blend and drink, that simple. Spinach Quiche Spinach quiche has long been a favourite here, PC in particular loves it, which I know makes me very…
- Blog, Home Education, Home Education - Learning Notes, Home Education - Reggio Emilia, Learning, Living
‘Winter Workshops’ Create Enthusiasm
Term 2 came to a close yesterday here in New South Wales, though we aren’t stopping for a break yet. Partially because we haven’t achieved as much learning as optimal in the past month due to life’s interruptions. Also we’re waiting until our two City boys come home in a fortnight to be able to enjoy their visit for the two weeks they’re here. One of the benefits of home education is we can be flexible and work around family time. Truthfully though we’re all feeling a little stale, students and teacher, and in need of a change of pace. I’m always of the mind that ‘there’s more than…
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Culling Years of Photos
A few weeks ago our computer warned, “Your space is very low, you only have 10MB left”. Considering our hard drive has the capacity for 500GB something was swallowing up space. Turning to my resident computer expert, he (PC) informed me it was time to cull my photos. I hadn’t culled photos in any consistency at all, well make that never, since the advent of our first digital camera in 2006. That made for alot of work over the past few weeks, I have literally spent hours and hours, clicking through and deciding what to keep and what not too. I have deleted thousands of photos. What have I learnt…
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A Fishy Activity
It’s been months since we enjoyed A Book and Activity, so when Bass asked for a craft activity I obliged. Searching Pinterest for inspiration I found Rainbow Fish Craft. Template was supplied and only paint and celery sticks were needed. A fish craft was entirely doable. Looking through our picture books I found, The Rainbow Fish – Marcus Pfister. Years ago I read Elizabeth Esther’s thoughts about redistribution and since then I’ve been uncomfortable with the author’s intent. I can’t find the post but EE has a satirical video which I haven’t yet watched. After reading I asked Bass, “What did you think of the book?” He answered “I didn’t…
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Upcycling: Jumper to Little Girls Winter Dress
Winter dresses have been impossible to find for my little one. As Bella is only in size 1, I wasn’t expecting any trouble in finding winter dresses, but alas I have. Searching online for inspiration I discovered the idea of upcylcing a jumper into a little girl’s dress. Between both tutorials I was confident to ‘give it a go’. Result was two lovely girl’s winter dresses. Off to the op-shop Saturday morning. By Saturday evening I’d whipped up a couple of dresses for Bella to wear to Mass Sunday morning. The cream dress is needing further embellishments. But for now, with a bright sash of pink around her waist, tights…
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My Daybook: June 11th, 2015
Outside my window… the sun is setting, winter here so the evenings come early, not my favourite season of the year I am thankful… to have our girl home!! Anna Maria arrived home from Ireland/England on Friday and it’s wonderful to have her home, it really is!! I am thinking… about how I’m the ‘key’ to ensuring our family reading culture thrives. Not to say reading isn’t happening here, it is, all the time with independent readers but not so much with the under 8 set. Although I need to ensure our independent readers are reading plenty of quality, a little fluff is okay but too much isn’t healthy. The…
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This Week in Learning: May 24th, 2015
Hard to believe we are half way through Term 2 already, five weeks of study and nary a post have I shared. We have been learning, but I’ve been engaged in my usual struggle, record keeping, therefore only have snippets and reflections of the past five weeks to share. Speech Therapy Bass is having weekly lessons with a speech therapist which means I’m given ‘homework’ to do with him. It’s not onerous, nor time heavy, but it is one more thing on my to do list. sigh Reading Jelly Bean exploded into the world of reading at the end of Term 1. She has continued to read an average of…
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8 Tips When Op- Shopping For Clothes
We purchased our first home via auction, a rather nerve wracking yet exhilarating experience. Flushed with success we began attending farm auctions and furnished our home with our finds, on a shoestring budget we were selective in our bidding. Eventually we were to also discover the world of garage sales, a story for another day. Months after purchasing our home we were expecting our first babe, this was when I discovered the attraction of the op-shop hunt. It wasn’t long before I realised that one could dress yourself and your loved ones well by selectively searching for quality amongst the dross. Years on I’ve continued to maintain my passion for…
