Friday, August 29, 2008 Homeschool Memoirs weekly part 2. Posted in Home Schooling This assignment is sharing our plans for the hs year. Here in New Zealand our school year begins early February and ends December for summer holidays. I believe in school everyday - I think it is too easy to not to do school - so very rare that we have time off - we also start in January before schools go back - this gives up a few weeks up our sleeve for life - eg like sickness & sewage pump break downs. I like Charlotte Mason style for learning & pretty much use a similar style to this plan. Abbey (just 15) Math - the biggest struggle this year - mathusee Algebra 1 just didn't work - too dry I feel mean saying this on blog as I really like mathusee & it has worked up till now. We have switched to NZ Maths with the plan to do NZ maths via correspondence school next year to get NZ NCEA qualification. Accounting We own a cattery so Abbey has her own real life shop selling to new owners - lots of hands on learning & suing MYOB accounting software. She also runs her own cashbook for clothing allowance & pocket money. We also play Cashflow game - good lessons in that game! Science Apologia Biology - highly recommend Apologia! We use Donna Young's schedule - it works well for us. Unit Study Where the brook & river meet. - Covers geography, history & English - really enjoying this study. English - Write shop & IEW - I prefer Write shop as it has lesson plans for mums - I let IEW slip often so much easier for me to just have the plans there & I adapt them to suit unit study writing assignments. But I like the dvd's form IEW as I am a visual learner - so I think you need both grin Spelling The Essential Spelling book by Fred J Schonell & Spelling Power Drivers licence - can you believe it she can learn to drive - she is just waiting for cold symptoms to leave & then we will get her licence as you need a photo taken & that stays with you for a few years. She is meant to do 2 hours a week driving for 6 months Sport Bowling & walking Life Skills embroidery, quilting, knitting, cooking & next thing to learn is smocking. Has a herb garden & flower garden James (just 12) Science Apologia Zoology - land animals ( A lovely curriculum) Geography & History - Story of the world vol 3 Early modern times Maths - using a Business unit from Simply Charlotte Mason - just begun & I am pleased with it. Also plays Cashflow & runs his own clothing budget & pocket money account. English we use write shop for writing & IEW like Abbey - But also do Progeny Press units. Spelling same Abbey - above just different level. Sport bowling, walking, bike riding, cateboard - he is very much an out door boy. Life Skills James is learning to cook meals he can eat - allergy free. Does many job around home - stack firewood, light fire each night, tend to chickens & sheep and he is a keen vegetable gardener. He also didn't want to be out done in skill level by his sister & learnt to cross stitch (he disliked this - nearly has it completed & quilting - he is a whizz on th sewing machine - peddle flat to the floor & would say look mum no hands & do a really grand job! - Nearly finished we just work on it when in the mood. Our kids do a lot around the home, farm & cattery - Brent & I are not big fans of TV, computer games or X box. I believe kids get great satisfaction from contributing to the family chores - it takes time to train them up - remember I've been doing this for 11 years - sharing with them how to put cleaner over house - yes sometimes when they are learning a new skill they don't do it as well as I would - but next time they put the cleaner over I try to remind them to move the mat etc - and so what if it is not perfect they have tried & done it with a willing heart - it doesn't take too long & they are doing it as good as or if not better than you. • Comments (1) • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link Sunday, July 20, 2008 Term 3 planning - home schooling Posted in Home Schooling  I got into term 3 planning of school - It's rather daunting at times to think of the responsibility I have on my shoulders to educate our kids, but Brent & I firmly believe this is not a dummy run - you only get one chance at education. To think I only have about 3 years left with Abbey - pretty sobering. I have been looking hard at the study I have taken on for myself - I also have realised I don't actually want to go back to corporate life when I grow up - the extra stress study has caused with winter ills... and I have had no time for sewing - something that makes me happy. So really sitting on the fence if I will continue it or not. When you look at the big picture I only have 3 years left with Abbey - that is not a lot of time - oh wow I can remember when we first started home schooling - it has gone fast! Homeschooling has worked really well for our family & it is a nice lifestyle. So I took all the homeschool books off the shelf, organised kids books for the term & planned the first 2 weeks. Now I have a BIG pile of books on dinning room table - I left it like that last night & had to face it this morning - I find it hard to let go of book. I also have kept a lot of kids work - it;s soo fun to look back on their work. Abbey Georgraphy/history & some English  - Anne of Green Gables unit study Writing Write shop Science - Apologia Biology Maths - we have stopped mathusee & picked up NZ maths - Mathusee got very dry at algebra shudder. James Geography/ history - Story of the World book 3 English - Progeny Press Science - Apologia elementary book 3 Maths Mathusee To think half of the school year has gone all ready. GULP • Comments (0) • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link Sunday, July 6, 2008 Running a Small Business Posted in Home Schooling Sometimes it is best to learn from actually doing... So Brent & I have set up Abbey in her own business. She will be selling products for cats. - by default her business name is called Abbey's Shop. As we breed kittens she has a ready market - many of the new owners love to talk to the kids & they knew we were going to get Abbey to do this - they named it Abbey's shop & it sort of stuck. Abbey has very fine taste & she even stocks futon beds for pets, cat mint bubble blowers - (the kittens chase cat mint bubbles), possum tails, hotties you heat in the microwave that stay warm for 12 hours, kitten food, litter etc.... We finished working on it yesterday & launched her webpage, down track she will learn how to make shopping online part of the website (I havven't learnt this yet so looking forward to learning how too) She is going to keep accounting records using a very old program we had  called NZ office , I don't think it is still around anymore - my one is on a floppy disk it's that old. Would love to get my hands on MYOB for her  to learn with - one day... She has to issue invoices, a profit & loss, GST & Tax returns, stock control, ordering stock, percentages, expenses - she thought it quite cool her cellphone now has become a business expense,- learn about marketing, customer service and many, many aspects of running a small business. She will get the opportunity to sell items on Trade me and also at the farmers market in summer. We have a family friend who is a business coach we might be able to tap into some of his training too. Homeschooling does offer some wonderful opportunities and this is one example - pretty awesome that a 14 year old (ok nearly 15) can have real hands on learning of running her own business. PLUS today I had a rep call in home selling Science stuff - Abbey was thrilled she now has her own scalpel, slides & petrii dishes - next we are looking out for a microscope. James had an awesome day out with Brent - road testing Amps - his birthday is in a few weeks and he is getting an amp for his electric guitar. • Comments (1) • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link Saturday, June 7, 2008 Laura Ingalls Posted in Home Schooling There are some home schooling days which really stay with you. When Abbey was younger we did a big Laura Ingalls study - read all her books & fell in love with the Ingalls. http://www.homesteadblogger.com/mennobrarian/100289 Has shared on her blog with pictures of visiting the homesteads, now this I could get on a plan for & go see. I wonder if they can drug me first? But I would enjoy visiting. James & I are working on a Progeny Press - Farmer Boy. Yesterday he had to draw a map view of the Wilder farm. It was quite a challenge working out from Laura's writing just how the house & barns would be located. James did a fantastic job & then we googled & found Almanzo's childhood farm with a model of the farm & how all the buildings were positioned. Another Progeny Press book we are enjoying. Love Leanne • Comments (5) • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link Wednesday, May 21, 2008 A week of not much school. Posted in Home Schooling It's just gonna be one of those weeks - too many things on to do much formal book work..... That is why I like to work through the school holidays - so when we have weeks like this we can just roll with the punches. Monday James had a Dr appointment 9.45am - only time we could get in. Tuesday 10am I returned to the hairdresser - thankfully my hair isn't ginger anymore. And no charge - she is unsure how long it will last - used an organic product on my hair - smelt nice not all chemically. She said come back if goes ginger within 2 weeks - oh my! Wednesday we have home school bowling. Thursday the kids are going to the premier of Indiana Jones - the first session - perks of being homeschooled. One of James' friends tried to get off public school to go but his mum said no. So James jacked up to go to his friends farm on the weekend. The weather forecast is for rain - so I suggested they come here. - But James said all he needs to do is take a raincoat to the farm & he will be right. This boy of ours loves being outdoors and a bit of rain won't put him off. • Comments (0) • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link Saturday, May 10, 2008 If you were James' Friend Posted in Home Schooling If you were James  friend & it was your birthday - you would get a card made by him. I tell you other 11 year old boys loves James art work & his guitar playing. Josh had his birthday party yesterday & James had to take his guitar so they could all have a jamming session - oh my!!!! James is influenced by Ed "Big Daddy" Roth & Jimmy Hendrix • Comments (1) • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link Saturday, May 10, 2008 HOmeschool Purchase Posted in Home Schooling We had a vendor come to our town last night - plus we have our home school allowance due next month. AND I am needing new materials - I think I was her best customer. James needs a new mathusee book soon -Mathusee is really teaching James I am sooo pleased we found this. Steve Demme has a learning disabled child so he shares special tit bits that have helped. Story of the World James really enjoys - I read aloud the story - James does the mapping & I ask comprehension  questions - thats it - our history is finished. _ I think he likes this as we don't do a lot of writing with this curriculum - but it works for us - (Oh we use it not how it is meant to be used) Science - Jeannie Fulbright (nb notes for fellow non Christians - this is very religious - however if you can ignore what isn't your faith it is excellent - I am sooo pleased I had another look at her books, Brent is wonderful at understanding me using it) And what I wasn't planning on buying & feel I have gone to the DARK side - is a new writing curriculum rather than IEW - which I LOVE - but what I like & think will work better is Write Shop - BECAUSE it has lesson plans & clear objectives for kid & an idiot prof marking & grading system for the mother.YES YES YES!!!!! • Comments (0) • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link Thursday, May 8, 2008 Bowling Posted in Home Schooling The over 11 years home school group begun 10 pin bowling. I was able to get an awesome price for our group of $5.70 per person including mums! Everyone had a ball!!! - The kids just wanted to bowl - so next time will be a bit more formal with lessons. These will be without pins. We had some small lessons with how the scoring is done - (it went right over my head). I had never noticed dots on the floor or arrows - before - not sure if these will help my bowling. And we got to go out the back & see all the actual machines. - Seeing these sure makes you appreciate the investment the owners have put into Bowl Land.  Rob our tutor was brilliant with the kids. He shared that originally it was 9 pin bowling. But a lot of gambling went on in USA - so government banned betting on 9 pins - hence they got around this by introducing 10 pins. Now us mums need to polish up & beat these kids! • Comments (0) • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link Wednesday, May 7, 2008 Home School Posted in Home Schooling Home school is a BIG part of my day. This week Jame started a new mathusee unit - I watched Mr Demme teach the lesson on DVD - I like his way thought mmm that will suit James. Came to table to do maths with James & I completely forgot how to do multiplication. In the end I had to get Abbey to just do it & then I could work out where I had gone wrong. - James wondered what a school teacher does when they get blanks - I am sure they must ... well I said we would put books away & do singing.....incase you are wondering we are doing multiplication my way how I was taught - stops this old brain getting confused. It's hard enough learning subtraction the new way.... I'm real thankful for Mr Demme & Mathusee that he can teach Abbey her maths - she is waaaay past my ability. James & I are really enjoying Apologia Elementary science Last term we studied birds - this term it is bats. We had a nice bird watching experience with a Hawk & two magpies. This morning trying to find you all a photo of a NZ hawk I read here how the magpies are actually not nice to our NZ Hawkes - I was too slow getting a photo on my camera. We then were thrilled to see a Kingfisher visit. - Again I was too slow to get photo. • Comments (0) • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link Saturday, April 19, 2008 Birding Posted in Home Schooling Homeschooling doesn't just teach the kids but also us mums too. James & I have had a delightful time with Exploring Creation - Zoology 1 - flying Creatures of the First day. Ok, ok friends whom know us yes Brent just about swallowed his teeth when I brought such a heavy Christian book into our home. But if you skip the religious content (Warning there is a lot) it is a very good book! Fellow kiwi hsers haven't used it as they think it is all about American birds - yes there is a lot but it's more about the makeup of a bird rather than species. James & I have had a lot of fun learning with this book. A real thumbs up. We are up to chiropterology next (Study of bats - see I told you I have learnt heaps from this book!) I digress - one thing that we learned was that birding is a hobby. IE recording birds that visit your property or a list of birds that you see in your lifetime. We are very lucky where we live we have lots of different birds daily visit us - but James & I have been making an effort to really look at what is arriving. We are leaving out bread - trying to remember at 10am to put it out (not doing too good) I shared how Brent's mum used to feed her backyard birds at 3pm every afternoon. They came for miles. Plus her magpies who brought their babies every year & were hand fed beef. I just love visitors tracker - I can click on it daily & see who has visited my blog - I then can go visit their blog. This is how I found Blogger Scattered Seed And in America you have a system called E Bird where you can record all the birds that visit - how fun!! I tried to see if there was for Nzer's as I am sure James would of enjoyed keying in this information. But I can't seem to find one for us. I have had a lovely few cups of tea looking around Scattered Seeds blog & this post I enjoyed I often read how USA winters are so harsh - I bet the birds sure appreciated some nice tucker. I'm going to ask Jan to share some basic tips to make birdfeeders - So we can make some for our garden. I've a huge container of sunflower seeds we will be more than happy to share with the garden birds - from our sunflowers we grew this year. I've also googled more on birding in NZ & found some cool web sites http://www.nzbirds.com/birding/birdwatching.html http://www.birdingnz.co.nz/newzealandbirds.php Click here to see my most love - hate bird that lives with us a Pukeko So when we get my new camera maybe we can get some good photos of NZ birds to share - I do think NZ has beautiful birds. • Comments (2) • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link Wednesday, March 12, 2008 Stripping Wallpaper Posted in Home Schooling Abbey & I are stripping her wallpaper every free moment we can. Brent is on leave next week  for 3 weeks - man he is soo looking forward to it. They are doing road works & it is taking forever to get to & from work - 2 hours to get home last night - so thankfully he will be out of the traffic for a few weeks. Abbey & I are listening to an audio book - The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory - Abbey had read the junior version so knows a lot of the story - the adult version isn't too hot - which I was worried it may have been - well - not soo far. We are really enjoying the story & takes away the boredom of stripping wallpaper - Abbey has decided stripping wallpaper is NOT one of her favourite things - nor living in a disheveled bedroom. She will move into the lounge to sleep once sanding & painting begins. As a reward we will go & see The Other Boleyn Girl at the movies. Today I think we will have a light school day & get back to the stripping - well we are covering PE (your arm sure gets a work out) & legs up down ladder to reach 12ft stud, History - listening to book on tape , English listening skills, Life skills - learning to decorate rooms. James is sooo good - he has been doing odd jobs for me while I strip & keeping him self occupied - I wasn't sure if the audio would be suitable for him & I'd say not yet at 11 Abbey & I didn't finish stripping until 10.30pm last night. - Brent & James watched Eric Clapton on TV Edit - that sounds awful doesn't it - Brent & James sitting on butts while we work - but honest it's what I told them to do - Abs & I are well into the story -& we just wanted to keep listening - Brent may listen to the story on his way to work at some stage so best he hears it from the beginning. • Comments (1) • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link Tuesday, March 11, 2008 Back in Black Posted in Home Schooling James really enjoys his guitar lessons. This week I was able to watch & his eyes lit up when he saw the song - Back in Black - ACDC. His friend Mitchell & him share songs over the telephone - yes sadly Mitchell moved away - but the two of them keep up to date with the phone - their guitars are close by & they play to each other. Mitchell also gets to come & stay with us in the holidays. So when James' teacher brings out the music sheet James' eyes lit up & he was able to play what he knew. I asked the teacher if he was going to the Rock2Wgtn Like us its the price $400.00 for two nights - wow that's a lot of money he doesn't like Alice Cooper, seen Kiss before & as he said Ozzy Osborne is an old man now - sure he'll probably put on a good show - but lets face it a shake of the head with an F... & another shake of the head with another F... I had to laugh at the teachers comments. We really are lucky to of found such an awesome music teacher for James - he has worked out James' learning style and really works with him. The teacher also teaches blind children - a very gifted teacher! Brent & James would very much like to go to Rock2Wgtn But we have agreed it is just not in our goal of a budget. We are all going to Cats. - Abbey has learned a lot of Andrew Lloyd Webbers music for piano - And it's a lot more affordable for a family to attend. • Comments (0) • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link Thursday, February 14, 2008 Archery, menu planing (lack of) Posted in Home Schooling Yesterday we left home at 12.30pm & I didn't get back till 7.30 (except a quick drop off home of cat meat) - phew what a day. - We had Archery, visit James friend who was in an accident broken leg & lost a finger now home from hospital and doing well - I had to buy cat meat & zip into quilt shop to sign up for a block of the month, then ball room dancing. And to top it I was unorgansied for meals. As takeaways are not an option with food allergies I need to be organised & I normally am - but this is the second time this week I was not organised & Brent had to cook tea. I need to get back to menu planning - but for some reason really finding this a hurdle.... I wonder if its just getting into the routine of home school & activities again. I do have a lot on & feel a tad over committed eeeek - year has just started!!! Normally I hav meals prepared & use crockpot or have simple fast meals for nights like last night. The kids had a fun home school group event of archery - both kids did real well at it - I wonder if their aim is good because Brent sets them up target practice with the gun. Anyway they are both eager to return & are talking of buying their own bow & making target practice here at home. Abbey had the instructor laughing where one arrow ended up. She  whispered to Abbey she had got the pigs willie then burst out laughing. Abbeys target James at the bow - his first shot he hit the target & of course me being me yell lucky shot! _ Maria told James have another go & prove your mother wrong. Well he hit the bulls eye. My photo didn't turn out as no zoom. While the kids did archery I picked up pine cones. - I ran out of plastic bags so ended up tipping them in the bugs boot - it was loaded. Which of course I realised was a dumb idea as I needed to buy cat meat - so James snuggled up to frozen meat & bags of lemons from Karen on way home. Any ideas on how to get back into routine re meals would be much appreciated. • Comments (0) • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link Saturday, February 9, 2008 Home School Posted in Home Schooling We have got back into the swing of home schooling again after the long summer break. The season is turning & we are feeling a nip in the air morning & nights. I have LOVED this summer!!! I've changed my focus with James & we are doing more hands on work than seat book work for some subjects - especially science - we are following Abbey's science lessons eg this week its learning about Sir Issac Newton's laws. James has had great fun doing experiments & then writing up the Laws. - He tends to add mad scientists to his art work in science - its very clever what he comes up with & sure makes me laugh. I received his art curriculum I ordered - James is gifted in this area & as I have no talent at all it has been a subject we just never get around to - but being fair to me - I have always found him art teachers to do art with him - And Brent is arty - the two of them spend many fun hours drawing. I digress the curriculum I brought was How Great Thou Art He seems pleased with it - it has a teachers book - but I feel very  unable to help as I can not draw any where near as good as James.  He has a new art teacher this year - Emma  you can see her art work here. (I think her art is a bit too scary for me) She is a famous artist who has had her art work published for a book. (I haven't read the book so at this stage only showing you all her art work) I was THRILLED yesterday - I brought the next two Apologia science books for Abbey for the price of one new! - I nearly brought it at the home school day out - but I really felt I needed to wait & try and get it second hand - so I was thrilled. One is the first issue - but I hope that will not matter - I use Donna Young's schedule & she has vol one up PHEW. It does feel nice to be back to routine & I am loving having both the kids home going along our journey - its a good thing! My kitchen table you can't really see - it has sewing machine on one corner - art work & props on the other and in the middle school books piled high as I was planing their next two weeks - when the phone rang at 3.30pm to say people picking up kittens would nearly be here. I had to stop & do the kittens pedigrees & pack its bag - before I knew it - theuy were here to collect kitten & Brent was home - tea was needed to be cooked & my day ended. My kitchen bench is a hot spot again - tadpoles one end, birdseed & spilled birdseed, cat pedigree papers needing filing not too bad a hot spot - but won't take me long to get this area looking tidy. It has a well loved lived in look - not at all a Martha Stuart! • Comments (1) • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link Thursday, February 7, 2008 IEW Course notes. Posted in Home Schooling I really enjoyed this course - but one does have to be careful attending these courses - the speakers are speaking about their product & their ideal home school. There is NO right way to home school - each child is different NOR is their enough time in the day to do everything you want to do. So when the FEAR & DOUBTS crept in - and I know they crept in other mums heads too  I stopped & confirmed what is working & what I am doing correct to the speakers model of a perfect home school. My notes in no order. Spelling Years ago spelling was better than now a days. - I personally was taught the PC way - Mum told me teachers told her I was trying hence why my spelling words were ticked correct & not corrected grrrrr - so sorry folks if my spelling fair gets up your nose - It is getting better with blogging.- I have a purpose these days to be a better speller. My changes to our spelling - letting James spell oral - he was thrilled to hear this as we have had many head butts - when I make him write his words down. Andrew recommends word families & word sounds. Lots of frequent spelling work & going over the words. He suggested spelling bee winners win because they know root words & he shared how helpful it is knowing Latin & Greek root words - hence I brought Rummy Roots & James & Abbey have enjoyed playing today. The Basics I am pleased to say we did do the following when kids were younger - yes wish had done more but..... narration, dictation & copy work. All these three things are real important & if I was starting over I would really do it much more than we did - we did use primary language lessons which covers these 3 things. Dictation is still being done in Abbey's school work with Anne of Green Gables study. - So is copy work. Narration I will pull in more when we use IEW - we have been missing the step of writing the key out lines & then reading it back. I found Andrew really drove this home to me how important this step is. PLUS it is a brilliant step for when kids go to uni - if they can take their lecture notes & read it back to someone it helps cement it in their brain and then write it out- good thing! Public Speaking Ahhh an area we haven't done but I think is real important.  Andrew recommends very short & frequent. We will bring this in when the kids are doing their IEW - make notes re their IEW work. Practice with notes on music stand. Hold music stand look at notes - look up & speak. (I should point out here too that when Ab went to school she was one of the better public speakers in her class & her teacher wanted her on the school debating team - not bad for not covering it before in home I thought) Then branch out to using a triangle pattern to get your body moving while speaking then branch into actions with hands. A very good tool. Andrew stresses we want to move our kids from the hard to the easy - just like a sports coach would - by doing lots of frequent practice it will get easy. Even things we don't like! Motivation This was aimed at boys - getting them motivated He stressed it has to be relevant & meaningful to the child Pursue their interest! Inspire them more Contrive - eg the things one has just gotta learn eg times tables - have goals or games for them to achieve it. No home school should be a Martha Stewart type home school - now I LOVED this - if you could see my place at them moment - it is hardly Martha And get rid of the TV - read lots to your kids at least 3 hours per day. Or use books on tape. • Comments (0) • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link Wednesday, February 6, 2008 Diets, Clothes, home school Posted in Home Schooling Now don't get me wrong - loosing weight is a really good thing & I am very thrilled - BUT I have not many clothes that fit - they are hanging like sacks. So yesterday we went to town & we shopped. I even brought a top in MAX - (For skinny people) Now that felt real good. I haven't shopped in MAX for over 15 years. I am one of those rare women who get no enjoyment out of shopping - I don't like the crowds & I like to be able to walk in & find what I need. So KIds did their schoolwork & off we went. I got a few things & something to look tidy in for todays trip to mix with other homeschoolers in NZ - some I have never met in real life only via emails - so I am looking forward to that! Our local home school group has grown and their are three car loads of mums going. My friend Catherine is picking me up & driving as I prefer to be a passenger. We are off to see IEW - Excellence in Writing author Andrew Pudewa - I really like this program & I am hoping I can keep some money in our bank & not get too tempted. Same at vendors stalls - this is something in NZ we don;t have often so all my curriculum I have brought has been thru research on the internet & from other mums around the world that say they like using their curriculum & why. I had a friend say I had lost a lot of weight & has given me the inspiration to loose more - so I am getting fired up - I believe in life style changes instead of diets so I am now facing my next lifestyle issues I have to deal with - a poor breakfast (I don't like breakfast at all) and exercise. I have quite a bit to blog about - including another NEW quilt I have started - well I couldn't help myself! But for today I am looking forward to being with only adult company for a whole day - no how is that for a treat for a home school mum! • Comments (0) • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link Friday, February 1, 2008 Why only 8% make it Financially - Frugal Friday & econmics course Posted in Home Schooling I have started making an economics course for our dd & ds. In today's world we as the parents need to be teaching our kids about money more than any other generation. take 100 teenagers aged 15 and think about where they will be in 50 years - ie aged 65. 38 will be dead 62 will be alive. of those 62 that are alive 38 will be dead broke 16 will still be working 7 will be retired on a livable income 1 will be wealthy Noel Whittaker has these stats in his book - Making Money Made Simple. Rather sobering don't you think! - • Comments (1) • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link Wednesday, January 23, 2008 Back to the Books Posted in Home Schooling Christmas/Summer school holidays finish here in NZ 7th February. We have normally started back home schooling before now - but well........ So we start next Monday, Abbey Maths Mathusee (but very tempted to swap to teaching textbooks - it looks real good except for price) Science Apologia - more than happy with this, Unit Study Where the brook & river meet - also real happy with this - covers english, history, georgaphy ,art, health & careers. Plus we like unit studies. UNSW international competitions Home ec sewing & cooking once a meal once a week - she is exploring being a vegetarian eeeek so thats 3 different types of meals a night to plan for. I'm ok with her wanting to be a vege but she has to eat properly so is reading up on healthy diet & James is scoring her meat at the moment Plus she is going to learn to knit Economics - she keeps a good budget - now I want to stretch her so planning on the next step for her. Music - continue with piano PE - we are into walking - must take my camera next walk. Swimming. James Maths -Mathusee & other bits n bobs I have Science Apologia - Zoologia English Progeny press Spelling I have all sorts of resources we use. Geography none this year - we didn't do science last year so having a break - History Story of the World Music continue with guitar Art How great tho art & weekly lessons Economics - begin getting James doing more of the record keeping with my help of his budget PE Sailing, bike riding, swimming Horticulture vegetable gardening. • Comments (0) • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link Saturday, December 15, 2007 Dolls House Collector Posted in Home Schooling Our visit to the Katherine Mansfield home - reminded me of how we got interested in being a 1:12 dolls house collectors. I probably need to add 1:12 collecting is not for children - these are up there with men who collect trains - It was not until we visit a lady I worked with in the bank & saw her hobby - she had a BIG hobby, nearly in every room was a dolls house she had kitted out. All the little piece work just amazing here is a link to a sample One of Katherine's most famous works is The Dolls House. I do so love her quote: "I imagine I was always writing. Twaddle it was, too. But better far write twaddle or anything, anything, than nothing at all." I was a tad naughty & took a photo of the dolls house for you all in blog land. shhh don't tell. But how on earth are you USA gals going to see this unless you have a visit here - and it is rather neat to view the house that she has written about. MMm blogging has made me a criminal. If you are interested in being a 1:12 collector here is an awesome web page The Dolls House Emporium Warning there is nothing much about being frugal as a collector! Very blurry as I was nervous snapping of kids enjoying the house. To the left is the beautiful coal range I think it's awesome that our kids enjoy going to museums - must be a home school thing. Talking home school - we have stopped book work for the year but well still home schooling - the tour lady was a bit thrown of what to talk to our kids about - she is use to kids knowing nothing about pioneer & Victorian era our kids started telling her things so she then chose to stop telling them things like this is a wash board that they use to wash their clothes on hahahah View of cottage garden. After Katherine Mansfield we went to Te Papa museum  They have a Scots in New Zealand exhibition and as Brent & the kids are desendants from the first Galloway's to New Zealand we wanted to view it hoping to see some information of the Galloway's & McLeans. Nothing tho as it was mainly about Otago - Dunedin where the bulk of the Scots arrived. James enjoyed smelling the whiskey barrels. Abbey noted the fine cross stitch samples & I was rather proud that Ladies Like Kate Sheppard  who was born in England but raised in Scotland & arrived in NZ 1869 was the lady who pushed for women to be able to vote - NZ was the first to let women vote in the world in 1893. Emily Siedeberg not from Scotland but was the first women in the world to ever be allowed to study medicine at a university in 1891 She was also the first women Gp in NZ The Scots have shaped NZ as they very much believed in education and equal rights. An enjoyable exhibition. • Comments (1) • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link Wednesday, November 7, 2007 Gamblers Posted in Home Schooling As per tradition, on the first Tuesday in November the Group 1 Melbourne Cup was contested at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne, Victoria. Like the Kentucky Derby in America, the Melbourne Cup is "the race that stops a nation", with 122,736 fans in attendance at Flemington and millions elsewhere watching on television or listening on the radio. We decided this year to follow the race & take a bet. – So 11.30am the kids & I walk into the local pup which has a TAB included – having no idea how to place a bet or how much it costs the lady explained lots to us. In the end I said for the kids to choose 3 horses each & we put $1.00 each way on their horses, which meant a win for a first or a place. –Cost $2.00 per horse so I splashed out $18.00 I took – Black Tom – had to as my tom cat is Black, Purple Moon & Blue Monday – because I like Purple & one of my favourite roses which is on top of one of our first breeding cat – Sam is called Purple Moon. James took Efficient, Purple Moon & Eskimo Queen Abbey took Efficient no 6 as she says no 6 is her lucky number, number 21The Fuzz as her birthday & Sarrera as the write up on the wall said this horse had done real well. New Zealand born-and-raised Efficient has won the 2007 Melbourne Cup in a thrilling finish. Paying # Name Jockey/Driver/Trainer  Win  Place 6 Efficient Michael Rodd  22.40  7.00 12 Purple Moon Damien Oliver    1.80 24 Mahler Stephen Baster    4.00 Much to my horror – James announced he was now addicted as he chose a winner & 2nd place! He asked if we could go straight away to collect his winnings – he got $31.20 Abbey $31.40 the winner & her horse no 21 was scratched so she got her money back. (Abbey has just informed me she spent $6.00 on the horse no 6, on the 6th day of the month) Me: $1.80 as I got a 2nd. Total winnings from $16.00 = $62.40 We can’t believe the first time our kids have a bet they won! They are saving $20.00 & the balance to re bet – I said I’d take them to a day’s race this month – with a picnic lunch so they have been there & done that. Kids agreed I shout them as this was an educational experience & hence should come out of education budget. They said they learnt spelling (horses names), writing Filling in the form, maths (numbers & times tables working out winnings – percentages & adding), health (addiction & drinking at pub from 11.30am – 5.30pm which James noted one man & car was there both visits), social skills (talking to fellow punters – we found it interesting that they said they were putting the bets on for their husband & vet receptionist was sharing her betting tips with James & I today), sport (horse racing) & they said they could of learnt home economics if I had purchased them a beer. A memory making Day!   • Comments (0) • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link