Oh wow.

I am so chuffed. Ive just found an ap on the Ipad which lets me blog at a pace that doesn't make me lose the will to live! I find that updating posts with pictures through Blogger on the computer takes forever but this ap is really speedy! Ooohhh, I might just make it here more often!

Its been a mixed few weeks full of ups and downs. I've been contemplating our home ed journey and feeling as though we have been miles off course, however, after visiting a local school last night I can honestly say, with clarity and ease, that home ed is the right thing for us.

I was totally uninspired by the school setting and the girls haven't asked anything about it at all so I presume they werent overly thrilled by it! The classrooms all looked the same. Dull. Drab, pointless things stuck on the walls, crappy plastic toys or the kids to fight over, corners made to look comfy and like home.
Ive just asked sylvs what she thought of the school and her resonse was, 'boring'. So, there you go.

The classrooms seemed really small. Bea's personality almost filled the reception classroom. I cant imagine her being in there for six hours a day with 29 other kids. Its not suprising they all seem so tired and angsty after spending an entire day in such a small place.

We are so lucky to be a home educating family. I hope our circumstances don't change as the thought of my girls in school breaks my heart.

Taken just now. Balancing sweets on their noses.

Woo hooo

We've had an excellent day today.

It was Mark's first day back at work after the Christmas break which felt a bit sad but me and the girls soon managed to get back into the swing of things without him! (sorry Mark).
We all had a shower and got dressed upstairs which is a small thing that's important to me. I hate the chew of having to dress all of the girls at different points in the morning - I want them dressed, fed and watered together so that I'm not constantly thinking, 'oh, I need to find another pair of socks'... once we're downstairs it's done.
Crikey that sounds so dull but honestly it makes such a difference to the day!!!
We did circle time which was lovely and we told the story of the sheep and the wolf. After telling the story for three days in a row it's like we all play a part. Bea likes to be the wolf and she's introduced a 'mummy sheep'. Sylvie is the sun and the moon and also the baby sheep - yes, she's practising those multi tasking skills making sure she has them down to a fine art by the time she really needs them! Annabelle is just, er, a bit annoying to be honest. She pulls the cloth off the sheep's head, (green silk, meant to be a thorn bush), bugs me for boobie, (it's dead hard to read, move props and breast feed when she's swinging her lanky, yet very lovely, legs all over the shop!) and dive bombs Sylvie. Luckily the story props keep the older two interested enough for them to either ignore Anna or to swot her out of the way, (soooo not ideal but hopefully they'll learn other ways to deal with their teeney sister instead of through the use of windmill arm movements!).

After our story we wrapped up VERY warm and headed to Washington Wetlands Centre which was brilliant! We would normally have our FIAR co-op meet up today but as most of us have had a hectic time over Christmas we decided it would be better to meet somewhere outside and not to plan an activities. We had a good chat about the FIAR sessions and we all feel that there are changes that we can make to make the day flow a bit more smoothly. We're considering alternating FIAR with Steiner Kindergarten so one week we'll do a book and associated activities, the next week we'll be all floaty and Steinery. We're going to H's house on Thursday night for drinkies, nibbles and further discussion then hopefully we'll have the show on the road!

After freezing our lugs and noses off we came home for some lunch. After lunch I started a mammoth tidy up stopping half way through to 'cook the cake that wasn't cooked' yesterday - i.e. the one that was smashed into the living room floor! I was sensible, if a little tight and used the Kenwood instead of the traditional mixing bowl. The cake was bloomin' lovely. I can certainly highly recommend baking with sour cream instead of butter and using cream cheese and icing sugar as icing. Yummy yummy!!!!

 Sylvie vacuumed the floor, (I know, child labour, you just can't beat it!!!) then we set to work making some crowns... and covering the newly cleaned floor in plastic jewels and various bits of sparkle.

Theeeennnn.... we made bird seed feeders from lard, (erk, what a horrible smell), bird seed and porridge. They're setting in the fridge ready for us to hang out tomorrow.

So, all in all a very, very busy day.

I'm in my bedroom at the minute. Sylvie and Bea are lying in bed snoring their heads off as I type. I think they've enjoyed themselves today and I know that Anna has.
Botanic Gardens tomorrow!!!! Stay away rain!

So here I am writing a bit more while the onions that I'll add to our lasagna are 'sweating' away in the pan. 
Mark's been a total stress head the last two evenings.  Last night he blamed me for the mess upstairs...  (in the room where he sleeps) and the night before he blamed me for being responsible for the entire spectrum of challenging, annoying behaviour that our girls can dole out.  Of course he said these things in the heat of the moment.  I was sewing which is my work but I presume that because I Player was on and I wasn't with the kids Mark must have thought that I was 'relaxing'... er, no dear...  relaxing is doing what you want, not doing stuff to a deadline for other people who are paying you money.
Anyway, today I've decided to keep a log of what we actually do when he's not here and so far the list of 'activities' and general jobs is quite long! 
I take multi tasking as far as it can go - that's a fact.  Even while blogging I'm cooking the tea.... 
So, my list.  Here it is...  Now this may bore you to tears so if you have little patience I recommend that you look away now...

So what happens when you’re not around husband?

Up at 7.15am.
Shower
Make my bed

Kids playing in bedroom.
Downloaded ITunes
Squared up downstairs, rescued Bea from on top of the drawers twice.
Sorted my clothes for the day and kids clothes for the day
Put a load in the washing machine and emptied dryer
Got kids to pick up tin of lego that bea had thrown down the stairs
Breakfast.  Rice crispies and Weetabix with hot milk
Me – toast and coffee – just about to make it
On hold for brekkie as kids want to talk about the world map on the wall.  Where do we live?  Where is the coldest place and how do we get there etc. etc. 
Kettle on toast in, wipe down table and put clean table cloth on.  Thinking about which Story of the World story we’ll do this morning and whether to put the tea in the slow cooker or not as Sarah is coming this afternoon  rinse dishes in the sink and make girls half a chocolate spread sandwich each.
Sort out box of elastic bands for Bea to play with.  Wrestle huge cup of water from Anna.
Coffee and toast?  Looks promising.
Oh, at this point I’m still not wearing any trousers.
Smile and feel immense joy as I’m buttering my toast as the girls as singing together while playing with elastic bands, ‘twinkle, twinkle little star’…
Breast fed Anna while having toast and coffee.  Watched S and B playing with their elasticated animals!
Wash up
Dress two children then listen as Sylvie starts talking about letters.
9am – Sylvie reads Peter and Jane 1b to me and finishes the book.
Dress Annabelle
15 min Circle time – light the advent candles.  Advent song.  Sit on floor with candles.

Story – The Elves and the shoemaker – focusing on kindness.
Short talk about St Lucia and light and why we use/need light.
Free play. 
Washing in dryer
9.40  Sort out maths sheets to work on for Sylvie and colouring things for Bea and Anna

Kettle on.  Time for coffee and a mince pie while big ones play and I psyche myself up for the three of them around the table… perhaps we should have a walk first?  Ah, can’t do this as my trousers are in the dryer
Clean all teeth
Put another wash in
Headache forming due to lack of sleep – the usual.
10.30 Sylvie has done three pages of maths workbook and has lost interest.  Started colouring in instead.
Trousers still drying!!!  Sun is shining calling us outside.
10.45 Watching Polar Express.  They asked for this to go on.
Making tea for this evening and sorting what we’re having for lunch as Sarah and Greta are coming over for the afternoon.

So there you have it.  Funnily enough, dear husband, I haven't yet had time to put the clean sheets on your bed or to tidy up the lego in the bedroom YET AGAIN. 

I'm thankful for so many things about our lives that the mess in the bedroom that we never really go into other than to sleep doesn't bother me, (today at least).  We're so lucky to live in a free society where you can say and write want you want and not live in fear of torturous punishments for sharing your views.  We've got technology coming out of our ears, (not sure how much of a blessing this is when it's taken for granted).  We are surrounded by beauty and we don't have to send our children to school - though if we want to we have an adequate education system which we can work with to help it suit our children's needs.  Mark and I are both employed and have a roof over our heads and cupboards full of food.

I've learnt from the death of my mother that really all you need it love but my goodness, I'm so grateful for all of the extras that make daily life easier!

Right, I'm off to stir some onions...