Pine needles

While walking this morning dd wanted pine needles.
What excitement with all the pollen clouding round as she pulled the branch off the tree.
We talked about what flowers look like. She is convinced that flowers have petals and that is it.
We pulled the branches off because dd has watched bear gryls make pine needle tea.
Dd was worried that it would kill her so she wanted to look it up to make sure it would be ok.
http://www.ehow.com/how_2102192_pine-needle-tea.html

Disjointed this morning as ds is still grumpy with his cold/cough/runny nose
Hope things come right soon

Boat second day

We are on 'strawberry island' this morning and off to 'sodor island'.
Ds is the captain.
Dd is the caretaker of the children.
They are picking up food at different islands.

Boat

We read a story about a young boy staying with his grandfather who is said to be an old sea captan.
And it just grew from there.

Still unwell

Yesterday we made box cars/race cars/trucks/bus. Both children coughed and looked runny eyed.
"Pelle's new coat" arrived in the mail along with homeschooling more than 1.
I read the kids their new book twice ....dd loved it.
We baked bread
We did ballet.
Looked at butterfly's
Ds cried and cried as he could not get his box house how he wanted...
We all hugged and read billy goats gruff again.

Quote

“Throughout the centuries there were men who took first steps down new roads armed with nothing but their own vision. Their goals differed, but they all had this in common: that the step was first, the road new, the vision unborrowed, and the response they received — hatred. The great creators — the thinkers, the artists, the scientists, the inventors — stood alone against the men of their time. Every great new thought was opposed. Every great new invention was denounced. The first motor was considered foolish. The airplane was considered impossible. The power loom was considered vicious. Anesthesia was considered sinful. But the men of unborrowed vision went ahead. They fought, they suffered and they paid. But they won.”

― Ayn Rand, The Fountainhead

Helpful website

http://www.homeschool-activities.com/

I've been wanting to do a few things from this website...make our own board game for one.

Billy goats gruff

Goodness trying to keep sick kids happy is not fun.
We managed to read and get this story told. And act it out.
I thought that making masks would keep my older dd happy but then ds was all over me and demanding...argh.
Both are very grumpy sniffy and not really with it.
Ds wants everything and nothing and dd is not happy with anything...lol.
And if only they were like billy goats eating grass...getting any food to their liking is a mission impossible.

Walk with the homeschool group

Wednesday was to be Kelly Tarltons but with both kids sick it's a long drive and day for everyone.
But I needed to get out.
So we popped along to the walk out Portland in behind the cement works. Wow that place is interesting as it is.
Both my two were too hadit to walk so I carried ds and then every 10mins I also carried dd as well.
Beautiful day. Might have to do it again when they are well as I don't think they will remember much.
We didn't see any birds which is the main reason why I wanted to go...as that is part of dd's thing at the moment.
There were heaps of people along. Dd was feeling a bit shocked and hung back a lot...but that's just her way.

Frog

The cat was coughing in our courtyard. Dd went to investigate.
"mum mum there is a frog under the tractor"
?
I couldn't work out why we would have a frog in the courtyard as we don't have anywhere nice for it to hide.
Dd was semi brave at wanting to pick it up but once she felt its skin and how much it jumped she was not so keen.
And I am?
Homeschooling mum hides repulsion and smiles picking up this thing then trying to put shoes on so the poor frog can put in the neighbors pond...I don't want it in ours they are too loud.

My loves are still sick and slowly diving me nuts.

Snake...are you in there?

Dd has got to the end of her jolly phonics work book 1 and we have been working though the activities.
We started off painting up snake...but it became an all out finger paint.
I like ds so much it's in a frame.
Could I cut them? I have not yet we might have to have another go.

Sick

Yahoo ... Not!
What a way to start the term!
Dave got the flu...then ds...then dd.
I'm tired

Bird count...no... but interest yes

We tried to do a bird count like some friends. Dd ruled up the chart and wrote out the bird names and everything.
Just never filled it in.
I think it might of been too limiting as we see a lot more birds than what was on the list.
Dd is becoming very good at listening and naming birds with only a quick glimpse. Both she and ds are quick to he their bird books and the other day found some really small (oh goodness I've forgotten ...but they haven't) but they were so small little birds on my lavender.
Dd is a little upset she has not seen a rosella yet as I keep pointing them out as they fly by.
She's got it in for miner birds though and would like to make more nest boxes to protect the natives from the miner.

Poss boss update

Wow great afternoon 'lesson' with the poss boss. At poss boss's place we got the low down on what a possum looks like. Dd was sure she had found possum tracks so poss boss showed dd an up-close look at some dead possum feet and talked about how they can not retract their claws.
He grabbed a freshly dead possum and showed dd how the fur is removed and a close look at the machine that does it.
A naked possum looked funny to me.
We got to touch the fur from the body and the tail. The tail fur is mostly used for things like socks and costs less.
The body fur was so soft.

The poss boss showed dd how to set three different types of traps...and he even gave her her own trap.
Thank you very much poss boss.

So tomorrow we get to go see if we caught anything.
Dd and ds have been trying to catch rats...some success too.

Sorry no photos we just had a good time learning and listening.

Exploring with dad

We drove to the local beach. We don't often go as its very exposed. But we climbed the look out and walked the oil and gas line.
Looked at tracks...dd thinks they are possum as we couldn't find any other tracks other than two.
We looked at all the different types of plants compared to home.
Dave explained about the oil.

Flow...?

Some times I wonder how they get from one thing to another.
Building a box house...to cooking to playing with cuisenaire rods.... To now playing with a snow flake making app. Looking at symmetry...not that they get that yet.

Poss Boss...tracking and trapping

Dd has an interest in trapping. She saw our local trapper working over in the bush block not far from us. He had a few possums - dead- and was walking up the road.
"mum can we work with him?"
I took a deep breath and said "sure darling I'll find away of getting in touch with him.... Good old Facebook.
So with hope this weekend we'll be off trapping.
Goodness where does this learning lead too?

Rescue pack

DS is into "rescue pack" and they do all sorts of treasure hunts.
Using their soft toys...aka babies they go find them.

Inky splots

Jolly phonics again. We will be making animals out of what we see.

Bubble snakes

Kids are scratchy so they have pulled out jolly phonics....here we have snake.
Totally loving it.