Winter school break

Well the July school holidays, here in Australia are almost officially over, but we never stopped learning or discovering.

Its been a nice refreshing break. Dermot was fortunate enough to have quite time after the end of our financial year to rest and enjoy the break with us.
Brid had a weekend at her grandparents so Dermot and I could attend a retreat. We re entered a Catholic community that we moved away from. We felt called to reconnect. We will now see what God has install for us.
We warmed ourselves by the fire while watching movies and documentaries. There are 2 series on the TV at present. One on the human body and then another called the Great migration. Both well presented.
Reading was high on everyones priority list as was my knitting. I am making blankets to give to a nursing home.
We had excursions to the foreshore and walked or scootered along in the cold winter air.  Doing a spot of shopping while in town. We caught up with several friends. One set of friends are not homeschooled and we often see this family. So we made a posh morning tea with scones jam cream and milo -all in fine china cups and saucers. Served my me. They loved it.  We made clay ornaments. We originally were going to make windmills but they digressed, so we just chatted as we created. Dermot surprised us all by taking us to see a play- Beauty and the Beast. Performed by a local youth company. Guess who wants to join the drama group now.   
We met with our new Bishop Bill at our local parish and welcomed him to our community.
We fitted a lot in but still tried to keep low key. Brid and I had several girlie nights and Dermot drove into see his local footy team the Knights. My Dad and Dermot bought season passes this year. Dad hasn’t wanted to go to a game for years, but there is a revived vigour. So while he is gone, we choose a movie and paint nails and spend a special time together.
We had several activities and crafts we purchased to do over the holidays, just incase, but haven’t used the kits we purchased yet. I am sure we will in time.  

So that’s our holiday roundup. Relaxing Refreshing and low key.

The Annual Poetry Recital

Last Friday of last term, we were privileged to attend the Annual Poetry Recital for the our homeschool area.
It has been run for several years and it has become quite popular. This year there were  41 poems to be recited. One poem per person. The children's ages were from 4 through to 16.
Some were so cute, others dressed in the theme of there poem, others read from there prompts, and still others read in public for the very first time.
It was exciting, because our venue has been, in the past, a community hall. It was a  lovely venue, but this time a Gallery in our main City Library had been secured.
What  an amazing venue. A homeschoolers dream, as there was a library to pursues afterwards.
So the scene was set, 10am, everyone assembled to watch there children recite there Poetry. It was quite a wet windymorning, so it was lovely to be in a heated facility. We had two young comperes selected, and they did an amazing job.
Brid had been writing her own poetry during the last 2 terms. She had been looking closely at different meters and rhythm of poetry and imitating these. We studied Poetry with another homeschooling family, and the girls bounced off each other and encouraged each other in there writing.
So when it came to selecting a piece it was pretty easy. Brid practiced this piece and recited it to us. Dermot & I  kindly corrected any flaws in her presentation.
With this piece in hand, we waited for Brid's turn. Everyone was reciting and not reading there poem, some were quite a few stanzas. I became worried. Brid had been reading hers. Oh the girls younger than her are reciting much longer pieces. Maybe I could whisper in her ear to try to recite it without her paper in hand. She was several rows in front with a toddler on her lap.
Her name was called,  her copy of her poem landed in my lap.
Oh wonderful I thought. Then what if she forgets her lines.
Just pray Leanne.
She did not only recite it word perfect, but her diction was spot on. You see there were a couple of words that needed to be said perfectly because they were key words.
Dermot & I were so very proud. Why did I worry, she wasn't nervous, she was very confident.
Praise God.
A lovely morning was had with lots of Mums and some Dads beaming with joy after there children had recited there poems.
The young teens all encouraged each other and the girls all hugged each other. The little ones were scooped up by loving, proud families members and friends. It was a lovely atmosphere. Lots of laughter and goodwill filled the room until it was time to go.
We headed down the stairs but nothing could keep us from scanning the shelves of the well stocked library 2 floors below. We all headed away with books in arms, with the rain subsided and the afternoon ahead of us, we headed to acquire the goods we needed on my to get list.

I often wondered......weekly happenings....

I often wondered if I wrote down our weekly happenings, how it would look.

So here I go.
Monday was our piano lesson day , brid really loves her teacher. This day also saw me head out to a talk given by an Opus Dei Priest. He drives 2 hours to give us ladies a talk and then give a  men’s talk later that evening, on the way home.  I enjoy his talks. It was a cold night, but a lovely warm home, to listen to Fr, was such a treat. Before I left for my early evening talk, I made dinner for us all in the slow cooker, so we could each take it out as we needed to.
Brid also had Girl Guides and they were having a High Society Ball theme. I had to leave this up to Brid and Dermot to sort out as I was at my talk. When I arrived home she looked rather elegant. So, I know she dressed appropriately. Why did I worry.
Tuesday saw us continuing our journey of poetry with another lovely homeschooling family . It can be quite intense, but Brid & I take a relaxed view. We just enjoy the company and learning the new Tropes and Brid has written some wonderful poems, using meters & rhythm. She will be reciting one next week, at our Annual Homeschooling Poetry Recital. We spoilt our friends by making morning tea and having Pumpkin soup ready for lunch.
This week we have seen the yard get dug up by the plumber. We had quite a flood here in all the rains. So various plans were made to drain it more successfully. We now need to wait for the grass to grow over the tredges. This was also a day we had afternoon tea with our eldest at her home. We baked scones and chatted for hours. Leaving long after dark.
Thursday, was a stay at home day, and saw us delve  into a few good history books.  It was a relaxing day. In the evening, we asked gods protection on Dermot as he travels to darts and back. The team won, he was home early. Well done boys.
Friday, was a quick Maths lesson and out to a friends for a homemaking party. While I chatted with the host and the other ladies, Brid busied herself clearing there littlest daughters room. Then home for a few hours before Classical Ballet. The fire blazed and kept us cosy in the evening.
Today, Brid & I pray for Dermot as he attends a men’s retreat. We are enjoying a weekend of quite and relaxation ourselves. That’s it from us.  How was your week?

Literature and Young Ladies......and more

We are  in process of sourcing books for Literature for young ladies- I stumbled across these again, not so long ago.
When I originally saw this list on Serendipity, I started dreaming. Oh, that would be good to do, but how would we. We have so much more to do. It just didn't fit into my box. But now, it does.
God has slowed us / me down, he has refocused me.
I secretly dreaded the high school years , so much more intense. So much pressure on me as an educator to get every box ticked.
Then the pressure cooker popped- or exploded. Or maybe it was a revelation from God. Slow down Leanne. Stop comparing; let her do it at her pace. That is how it has been for sometime now, its comforting for me.
So back to our reading list.
I showed Brid the list and her enthusiasm was amazing. She perused the list, put her own list together of books she wanted to read. It was a solid list. Realistic and thoughtful.
When I restudied the list, it included many books I desired Brid to read in her high school years.  We will work at Brid’s pace.

We have placed the books we already have in a basket. This is our reading basket.
There are already a few other books from her medieval and religion books in the basket. Each book was picked together, from various sources, including this one and this one.  oh and this.They all fit beautifully together.
Such richness to all the content.  
So what have I learnt?
Let go and let God. He was working it all out anyway. Where was my trust in him.

A day in our unusual week

It’s a bit of an unusual week this week, because it’s so wet.  

I have been spending the week reading a new homeschooling book. “A little way of Homeschooling.   It’s been quite inspirational for me to see like minded homeschoolers. The revelation that came to me, was we do have a homeschooling style. Yeah!!
Long gone are our work books and structured curriculum.  Brid still likes to have her desk organised for her work..
Our days still have routine because that’s the way we like it. 
Ok its 8am and the Christian radio news is just been turned on- or not.
Brid has fed the cats and is dressed.
We are opening blinds and waking up the house, putting washing on.
It’s close to 8.30 by the time we all have finished breakfast together, just in time for piano practice and my computer/ironing / cleaning time. Dermot is in the office and is beginning his work day.
We gather for prayer around 9am, as Dermot & I have our very important coffee date with  Our Lord.  Brid decides between, her religion reader or improving her handwriting with a verse from the Gospels.
Maths is Brids only fixed subject. We have always done this together, but of late I have tried to back off and just be around in case I am needed.
It’s now morning tea time, for Brid- although its really just break time- and around about this time Bailey, our cat, likes to come back inside, so we make a big fuss over him.
It’s cold, so we stop any pursuits and make a tee-pee in our fireplace and light it. Brid can now light the fire by herself. We usually gather up our wood for the day at this time as well.
We moved to this home close on 2 years ago, it is 40 mins out of the city, so we don’t go in to the ‘city’ very often. We have adjusted to being in our home and our little community now.  We have quite a big homeschool community, in our area, so we can tailor our outings to our needs.
Brid says what shall we do next, and at the moment we have a couple of topics we are looking at. So that’s where we go next.
This is the time of the day, we have a milo made on warmed milk.  Yummy.
Brid is reading a novel. The Yearling at the moment. Several discussions have flowed from this book. We look at the time 2 o’clock. Is it lunch time already? Left over homemade Pizza together.  
After lunch Brid retires to a project she is getting her teeth into. She is re creating a time in medieval history on  a program on the computer. This then led us to looking at Horrible histories DVDs and there website.  A print out of her work was necessary, for Brid, to show Dad when he came home.
Brid then decided she wanted to share her horrible histories discoveries on her blog.  
At the end of a busy day there is none better than sitting and watching a movie. I am knitting trying to inspire Brid to knit too. Somehow it’s just not her thing.  Our calm peaceful late afternoon was disturbed when I noticed we were out of milk. So we made a list and off to the local shop to purchase a few necessary goodies, including our milk..
Usually we would all eat together, but I told you it’s an unusual week. Dermot has an afterhour’s job in the city, so Brid & I eat dinner later. We pray for Gods Guidance and protection on this wild rainy night for Daddy.
So when did school start and finish, it’s sort of been a bit grey for some time now.

Pentecost craft

The last couple of weeks we have been working on a couple of liturgical crafts. We firstly worked on our Ascension craft. We made a very similar craft to Catholic Icing, but we have made it last the whole month of June.

 Pentecost is coming. We are doing a craft of our own.We made Beeswax candles with a friend last week. Seven candles in total.Not Quite enough for the Fruits of the Spirit, so we chose to focus on Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Humility, Self Control, Hope. We then hunted around and found some little glasses to place them in.
As we placed them in the glasses, we decided they looked a little plain. A red paper bag was found, cut up and wrapped  around the outside of the glass, secured with tape.

Next Brid and I brainstormed how we would highlight each fruit of the Spirit.
We decided on white hearts with Red letters.

 So here is the finished product and it looks really good.

what are you doing for Pentecost?

Louise

Louise is nearly completed her Teaching degree. It hasn't been an easy journey.
Louise was educated in the Catholic school system here in NSW. She was always a bright student, but something changed after her trip to the UK christmas,  2003/4. She became very quite and did not enjoy her last high school year at all. She still had one more year to complete her secondary studies. She asked to leave school, and we said yes, as long as she got an Apprenticeship. But where. She was very good at Food Technology and really enjoyed the work experience placement earlier in the year, so she applied for 2 positions and got both. Good on her.
It was extremely long hours, and a large amount of verbal abuse from staff members. Not the environment that I wanted my daughter. We were unaware of this type of behaviour before we signed her indentures.
In 2006, Louise took the large step into University. Dermot wanted her to finish it her Chef Certificate, I was delighted with her decision and couldn't wait to get her out of that environment.
She started  a program for students who had not achieved well or not attempted the last secondary exam, in NSW called Higher School Certificate. The course she was to take is New Step.
She undertook this course as a mature age student and a goal in mind. Therefore, she gained excellent results. Her end of year result was over and above what she needed to be accepted by the university for the teaching degree.
Louise moved out of home before this as well, which put enormous strain on her, we helped out where we could and always provided financial and any type of support she needed.
Louise excelled at every subject and if she didn't understand an area she made it her business to gain that knowledge.She will be completely fiished this degree this year, and is looking at furthering her studies in various areas she is being called too.
She will take 6 extra months to complete her degree due to various family and health issues. She has been quite driven and determined. But thats always been our Louise. So the girl we saw in 2004 was not the girl we knew, so we knew she was unhappy.  It did all come out years later and in a much more mature way.

Louise & Brid

We are so very proud of Louise  and know that she will be a great asset to any school that accepts her into there staff.