Conquering Library Day Madness

I'm not big on routine. I like the idea of it. I've tried to stick to one and I think routine can and has at times worked for us in the past but often life happens and we like to go with the flow and to get out, especially outdoors. Routines can be boring and restrictive to us. We like to be a busy bunch, flitting here and there but unfortunately I'm regularly paying a financial consequence of following my whimsy and not sticking with just a little routine.

Ah Library Day. It's funny how much I've come to dread it. It's trouble of my own making. Every time we haul up our ridiculous load to be returned I sternly speak to my boys telling them something ridiculous like, 'Only five books each this time....', which admittedly, they're really good at sticking to, but me? Ha! Alas, I am weak and when I find myself between those hallowed stacks of information and knowledge and before my boys can squeak out, 'but Mum you said...' to which I quickly reply, 'Hush child! and fill the basket!', whilst furtively glancing around the library, because you never know, Dadda may have slipped into the library during his break and I might be caught breaking what is obviously a sensible agreement ~ borrow only a few books and return them every two weeks rather than when they are due in the third ~ but I feel myself overpowered by a bibliomaniacal fever consuming me to the point where I've lost self-control and find myself haplessly piling up the books at the borrowing desk where I've managed to grind the entire library to a halt. An agitated line gathers behind me and others stop to gawk and stare at what is obviously way too many books to read aloud in three weeks but I'm too obsessively consumed by the book bug to really care but feel self-conscious enough to mutter to any who are close enough to hear, my feeble excuse, 'We're homeschoolers...'.

Our proud self proclaimed history buff indulges in his
obsession by yet again diving into books about warriors
but this time diversifying with a dash of celts or gauls,
whichever you prefer.

The consequence of my craziness and lack of self-control have been regular fines of about ten to fifteen dollars for overdue books approximately every month. I may only be a few days overdue but I tell ya, that many books, sixty to eighty (we have two libraries in our locality that we love to indulge in) past due by three to five days at ten cents a book....

Kookaburra is having another go at his origami obsession.
Paper! What Paper? We've been cleaned out again...

So I'm breathing a deep sigh and am appealing to my saner side that for goodness sake, enough is enough. The damn council gets enough money out of us without giving it away to them too. So I vow, as of today, Monday the twenty ninth of August 2011, I will endeavour my darndest to make it library day every second Monday and save myself that extra cash! Instead of giving it away to that ridiculous money grubbing governing body I will instead visit a lovely cafe with my two gorgeous boys and indulge in a caffeine fix for me and a hot chocolate one for them. Which only serves as an extra incentive to do the right thing, which is to obviously, get those books back before their due date. Seriously, how hard can it be?!

Before I call it a night I have to share how cute my little guy is. Unfortunately a few weeks ago, he left a book out in the rain. Damp but salvageable he brought it in to me apologetically asking for help. We left it out to dry for a few days and for all intents and purposes it looked fine But! whilst I was drooling between the stacks of books trying to maintain control of myself I'm approached by the librarian holding this same book. She says to me, are you.... to which I reply I am she....we both look at the book which she is holding open and shows me, oh dear, mouldy pages! This books is fairly newish, large and hardcover and I hate the thought that the library which I love, would think I tried to sneak it through without being upfront. We are honest sods and even if it hurts, we tell the truth. So I say what is obviously on her mind, but bearing in mind that I suspected yet more fines awaiting me I really wasn't particularly gracious and I'm sure I kind of groaned out that they would like me to pay for it, to which the lovely librarian says something about checking on the price and speaking to her supervisor when my little boy, bravely says in the sweetest clear voice, 'I had an accident.' If I felt remotely cross with him it was totally washed away with that courageous admission.

Home

Today has been slow... scratch that.... today has been relaxed! I've dusted, vacuumed and washed the floors, later after rests - because boy do we ever need a rest today due to so many late nights - I'll clean the bathroom. The rugs from my boys rooms are downstairs waiting for their turn to go through the wash after the couch covers. Our home is virtually all clean and tidy awaiting our weekend to start with Dadda. This morning we're all a little bit ratty so I've canceled art with the school this afternoon in favour of a completely restful day at home. Which by the way, I'd like to introduce you to!

She is a beautiful home and I'm so grateful that our family has landed here for a while.

We don't have a lot else planned today.

They've both completed their ten minutes of music today thanks to the Music Ace program and Kookaburra has spent some of his morning discovering the delights of Matilda by Roald Dahl. I'm so proud of him. Reading has been a enormous struggle and yet now he breezes through four chapters in one sitting. He's just finished George's Marvelous Medicine also by Roald Dahl and thought it was devilishly funny. I know my boy. He's a cackle head who loves to laugh at nonsense and the ridiculous so I thought these books would strike a chord with him. I've also sought out copies of most of Mr Dahls' books and they're waiting on his bookshelf for each of their turns to be read.

Well it's time for me to make lunch for our little lads and get a cup of coffee.... and toothpicks to hold my eyes open whilst I read to them ;) then we'll nap together and play our afternoon away. Sure is a hard life ;)!

Really Reading - and it's a novel!

It's happened. Finally :) Kookaburra is really reading, successfully, without assistance, novels! What has really helped was getting his eyes tested again after he'd been complaining of headaches usually in conjunction with reading quietly for about twenty minutes. Turns out he has astigmatism, which is very common and means that when he has been reading, one eye has been blurry and the other is working harder to compensate for it. Poor little chook. But doesn't he look a treat in his new specs?! Scrumptious little man. I'm so proud of him. What has also helped on the road to reading novels was purchasing the large print read aloud editions of the Narnia series - difficult to find but well worth the trouble of relieving the strain and making the reading experience just a whole lot nicer for him.

Kookaburra only has a few chapters to go and he's finished The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe which means for him that he can finally watch the movie. Kangaroo and I chatted about how he was going to feel when Kookaburra can stay up later then him and watch this special movie. Incredibly jealous but levelheaded would be an accurate description. He totally understands but wants to feel special too so in celebration of his brother's achievement Kangaroo is allowed to borrow The Cat in the Hat movie as his special treat and go to sleep in Mum and Dad's bed with me afterwards. Hopefully he'll be happy with that and everything will be swell.

Hopefully ;)

Bargain

i

'Seriously!'

'Only fifteen dollars? Are you sure?!'

This is the best kind of conversation to have at an op shop when we've just piled our wonderful finds onto their counter.

Op shop advice - avoid The Endevour, they've forgotten that they are a charity and that their goods are actually donations. There was a lovely lady's hat in there two weeks ago for sale at fifty-nine dollars! What the! Their prices do not reflect the purpose of the store. But our favourite op shop by far is St Vincent De Paul. Our goods totaled to nearly thirty dollars but once the lovely lady reached fifteen she stopped counting :D!

It's kind of funny that we've acquired new books as I'm in the midst of organising a huge curriculum clearance which I'll be listing with Aussie Homeschool Classifieds when I get round to it. But my view of a home learning environment, even if our boys were at school, includes access to plenty of great books on every imaginable subject and so I continue to haunt the op shops in the ever hopeful pursuit of that wonderful bargain to enrich our home learning. This doesn't make for a pretty home and I still struggle to be at peace with that but to see my boys pouring over books at five am leaves us feeling pretty chuffed.

They're interested and best of all, unconsciously, they are learning all about their wonderful world.

Oh! and I must add that I'm pretty proud of myself. Whilst at the art gallery today we were chatting for a little while with one of their lovely staff when she asked Kookaburra the dreaded inevitable question,

'What grade are you in?' (or to the trained Mumma ear, 'Why aren't you at school?')

He looked at me uncertainly and I replied calmly and quietly,

'Well, we actually homeschool so we don't need grades. We learn until we Know a subject and then we move on. We aren't graded by A, B, C's or worst of all D and F's because we don't fail and move on anyway. We strive to know and understand what we're learning.'

and then I added,

'He's nine.'

I know this isn't the best answer around but this is a huge milestone for me because I dread That Question and I really struggle to answer it in a way that I'm happy with :D!

Lucky

Kangaroo wanted to be a horse yesterday :) So we covered him
in body paint and gave him little white hoofs, a star and a patch.

Lucky to have escaped Queenslands' Flooding Disaster intact, unscathed, sheltered and protected.

Drawing constantly at the moment and developing beautifully.
Depth, perspective and technical. It has been very
interesting to watch.

Lucky that our biggest fear has been a shortage of fuel, food and supplies as our communities have become isolated due to our roads being cut by flood waters.

His 'Fierce Face' cracks me up!
After watching Little House On The Prairie today,
our boys played Indians happily up a tree for an hour or so.

Lucky and Thankful that my family and friends are safe.

Embracing the theme enthusiastically :)

Lucky that as we are able to, I know we'll give what we can to help rebuild our community and our state. Financial or a hand in the work of cleaning up.

Lucky that our boys were pint size witnesses to our community at work providing for those who momentarily cannot. They see our hardworking Emergency Services as important and are in awe and inspired by them. They respect the work they do.

Lucky that life for us has gone on relatively as normal. So sad and heartbroken that this isn't so for everyone affected by the flooding.

Please pray for our lucky country. That we will rebuild and be strengthened. That those who have lost will find comfort and will not despair.

Thankyou to ecoMILF for the links :)

Time for Something New and Other Thoughts

Late last night I was snuggled down under the covers in my comfy bed devouring my latest book with the thought of our early morning start nagging at the back of my mind. Stubbornly and maybe a tad selfishly, with a good mix of defiance for wanting something completely for me, I ignored the fact I should be sleeping and continued to read.

.
I'm regularly amused by how my life works. I feel led to things - ideas and opportunities - and even when I want to turn away from it, the message is going to find me anyway.

Back in September, Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert was a cinema must do but, well, I tend to shy away from whatever the latest 'thing' might be. I've never been cool and I can't be bothered starting now. But, faithful, loving daughter that I am :P found that my Mother wanted to see this movie. I Googled a review and the commentary was mostly negative. Basically the review boiled down to, if you're unhappy in your life, with your job and your partner, don't see this movie as it will likely be a negative and unsettling influence on your life. I'm happy, I just choose what to put into my head proactively - if I can. So despite my Mother's wishes I made it clear I had no intention of seeing this movie which then changed when we both visited my Sister Sunshine. She shared our Mother's sentiment. Ultimately, I'm pretty easy going so we ended up at the cinema watching, with initial misgivings, this said movie and... I Loved it :)

Ha! Hilarious!!! :D


Then for Christmas I was gifted the book in a Secret Santa. So hopefully, after all my rambling, someone may see how I come to feel that I've been led.

I'm only a dozen or so chapters into Ms Gilberts' novel but have found myself struck by her ideas on God, because they are similar to my own. It's kind of a Hallelujah moment for me. I have for so long wanted to identify my thoughts with someone elses' faith path. To know I'm not alone in my intuition. Until now I was yet to find anyone else who thinks the same or even remotely similar to myself. I won't be going into the details of Gilbert's ideas on God because I don't want to get into a theological discussion and come off the short end for my lack of knowledge :) I just wanted to share how I'm enjoying my own increasingly gaining strength in my right to my beliefs and perhaps encourage others to be strong in their own journey.

Although the book has kept me awake at night and interested, I haven not been enthralled by some of the authors life choices but I can appreciate the journey she has taken and be amazed by the courage she had to make drastic changes in a life that, to her, was really broken.


So that was what kept me up late last night but why was I out of bed and out the door so early with my boys this morning? Six thirty am we were in the park blinking blearily in the harsh summer morning light ready for our first Tai Chi lesson with my Awesome Aunty. Awesome Tai Chi teacher, cool crafty chick extraordinaire. Both boys made it through the warm ups pretty well, about fifteen minutes, but Kangaroo took a swift exit for brekky about then while Kookaburra and I continued.

Kookaburra intently watched my Awesome Aunty, concentrating hard and imitating as his interest took him on and off for the remainder of the hour. Kookaburra really seemed to enjoy the lesson and has said that he's keen to go back next week but then too, that could be because we played in the park afterwards. I'll give them the the benefit of doubt hey?!


Today was a great day for trying new things. After Tai Chi and our park play we packed up our craft projects and headed to my Aunts craft group for company and a devoted time for crafting. My boys each had a little box and an inexhaustible supply of collage materials and set to work creating little houses complete with wallpaper, doors and windows, floor coverings and even pictures hanging on the walls. Pleased with the results we made little wooden peg people to play in the houses. Great fun and my boys stayed put creating and concentrating for an hour and a half.


When we said our goodbyes, we noticed a cycle velodrome in the same area we were visiting and discovered that the gates are unlocked so take a guess what we're doing tomorrow morning!


By the way, Happy New Year all!

A Special Christmas Gift

My husband was away for a while last week. He drove over four and a half thousand kilometers round trip with his Dad to see his Nana who had a stroke a few months ago. Nana E was so pleased to see her grandson and son that even though she can't say much, Mr E describes her eyes as lighting up in recognition of them both. He's so glad that he went but sad at seeing his loved one no longer in top form.

I'm no stranger to Mr E being away. Over the years he's managed to change his work so the hours have become increasingly family friendly but there have been times with call outs in the middle of night and on Christmas day itself. Months of him being only home on the weekend and days of travel away where he was missed by us but life went on. We always knew Mr E wasn't really all that far away. Invariably somewhere within our state. This trip was very different for me. The weather in Oz is terrible. Violent thunderstorms and flooding has become a common theme on the news. The route down to visit his Nana E we were worried the roads may be unsafe, in fact, until the last moment we weren't sure if he was going to be able to get all the way down there as some roads were blocked.

He did get down there okay but I was worried, irritable, grumpy and tetchy during his absence. My nights were plagued with horrid and vivid dreams. I just really couldn't wait for him to be home again.

The night he was due back, we guessed he'd arrive about two AM. I stayed awake and waited. Friends had described their return trip along the same road as long and challenging with parts of the road under water. My evening was spent cleaning, reading, wandering around aimlessly and waiting impatiently. I rarely cry but I sobbed over my mop and prayed like a crazy woman for his safe return.

Half past one he arrived and after the flush of relief, I tried to be a good wife and ask and listen about his trip but after awhile I selfishly confided in him all my troubles whilst he'd been absent and sought his comfort and indulged in more tears. I'm so grateful for Mr E. Patiently he listened and wiped away my tears, and comforted me.

It was a long absence for me but good things happen and life went on. One of my highlights was a surprise gift from a beautiful friend. This beautiful Poinsettia. It's vibrant colours make me smile as I pass it and I feel so special to have been given such a beautiful gift.


My boys and I read The Legend of the Poinsettia after our surprise guest had left and now ,the story has made the gift extra lovely and we just think it's the most beautiful plant to adorn the entrance of Little House.

As life returns to normal this week, I just want to hold Mr E's hand all the time and look at him and drink in his presence. I'm very fortunate because I don't think I've ever been so worried in my life.

So there, you see, is my most Special Christmas Gift. My husbands safe return.

Tune in....

...to a great book :D

We've been a bit busy lately. Too busy to blog and barely enough time to eat. We have been reading and playing and playing what we've been reading. Today we read the entire 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' and watched the 1971 version starring Gene Wilder. Tomorrow, I think, we'll read the entire book again. Why would we do that? Well, we're lucky ducks and are going to see a play version of the book at a nearby theater and we are so excited as one of our little friends is starring and is even playing several different roles.

This little Oompah-Loompa ditty about Mike Teavee really made us giggle. Enjoy!

"Mike Teavee..."

(from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory)

"The most important thing we've learned,
So far as children are concerned,
Is never, NEVER, NEVER let
Them near your television set–
Or better still, just don't install
The idiotic thing at all.
In almost every house we've been,
We've watched them gaping at the screen.
They loll and slop and lounge about,
And stare until their eyes pop out.
(Last week in someone's place we saw
A dozen eyeballs on the floor.)
They sit and stare and stare and sit
Until they're hypnotised by it,
Until they're absolutely drunk
With all the shocking ghastly junk.
Oh yes, we know it keeps them still,
They don't climb out the window sill,
They never fight or kick or punch,
They leave you free to cook the lunch
And wash the dishes in the sink–
But did you ever stop to think,
To wonder just exactly what
This does to your beloved tot?
IT ROTS THE SENSES IN THE HEAD!
IT KILLS IMAGINATION DEAD!
IT CLOGS AND CLUTTERS UP THE MIND!
IT MAKES A CHILD SO DULL AND BLIND
HE CAN NO LONGER UNDERSTAND
A FANTASY, A FAIRYLAND!
HIS BRAIN BECOMES AS SOFT AS CHEESE!
HIS POWERS OF THINKING RUST AND FREEZE!
HE CANNOT THINK–HE ONLY SEES!
'All right!' you'll cry. 'All right!' you'll say,
'But if we take the set away,
What shall we do to entertain
Our darling children? Please explain!'
We'll answer this by asking you,
'What used the darling ones to do?
'How used they keep themselves contented
Before this monster was invented?'
Have you forgotten? Don't you know?
We'll say it very loud and slow:
THEY...USED...TO...READ! They'd READ and READ,
AND READ and READ, and then proceed
To READ some more. Great Scott! Gadzooks!
One half their lives was reading books!
The nursery shelves held books galore!
Books cluttered up the nursery floor!
And in the bedroom, by the bed,
More books were waiting to be read!
Such wondrous, fine, fantastic tales
Of dragons, gypsies, queens, and whales
And treasure isles, and distant shores
Where smugglers rowed with muffled oars,
And pirates wearing purple pants,
And sailing ships and elephants,
And cannibals crouching 'round the pot,
Stirring away at something hot.
(It smells so good, what can it be?
Good gracious, it's Penelope.)
The younger ones had Beatrix Potter
With Mr. Tod, the dirty rotter,
And Squirrel Nutkin, Pigling Bland,
And Mrs. Tiggy–Winkle and–
Just How The Camel Got His Hump,
And How The Monkey Lost His Rump,
And Mr. Toad, and bless my soul,
There's Mr. Rat and Mr. Mole–
Oh, books, what books they used to know,
Those children living long ago!
So please, oh please, we beg, we pray,
Go throw your TV set away,
And in its place you can install
A lovely bookshelf on the wall.
Then fill the shelves with lots of books,
Ignoring all the dirty looks,
The screams and yells, the bites and kicks,
And children hitting you with sticks–
Fear not, because we promise you
That, in about a week or two
Of having nothing else to do,
They'll now begin to feel the need
Of having something good to read.
And once they start–oh boy, oh boy!
You watch the slowly growing joy
That fills their hears. They'll grow so keen
They'll wonder what they'd ever seen
In that ridiculous machine,
That nauseating, foul, unclean,
Repulsive television screen!
And later, each and every kid
Will love you more for what you did.
P.S. Regarding Mike Teavee,
We very much regret that we
Shall simply have to wait and see
If we can get him back his height.
But if we can't–it serves him right."

A Quiet and Fruitful Day

Mosaics with our local DIY Hardware Warehouse, Bunnings, was a last moment call for our little crew this morning. It was a great suggestion from my clever, frugal, dear friend which has set me thinking about what other activities in our vicinity may be low to no cost for us to participate in.

My Boys loved doing this. The mosaic materials themselves were a little disappointing but the point was to experience new ideas and use the activity as a launching point for further investigation if we wish.

Kangaroo created Mitzi, our 'new' four wheel drive (look out, adventures ahead, I'm sure :).

And Kookaburra just had fun patterning and experimenting with the different tiles and cement glue. We all left very happy indeed and have filled out the little forms which have booked us in for pretty much a free workshop every week, very nearly to the end of January.

We boxed up our beautiful artworks and went to hit our local library to see what was on offer there. Not much, but still card making and Christmas decorations will be fun to participate in. Whilst there we picked up a few more books and amongst them was The Indian In The Cupboard and after two chapters in, we're all hooked! We also choose an audio book by Jackie French which has kept our little men entertained for the afternoon whilst Mama Me slogged it out through the horrid house work that has built up. But I always enjoy our home so much more when it's all put to right and in reasonable order, so I'm happy.

I'm going to scour our local area for more free to nearly free workshops and activities next week and the first place I think we'll investigate next will be our Gallery's. At the library, I did find stuck to a pin board a notice regarding a Music teacher who has decided to give a l ecture/ talk regularly on composers and such once a week at our newest gallery so I'm considering checking it our with my little men. Exposure and opportunity my friends. If at first we don't understand, that's okay because we're laying down layers of knowledge which we add to over time.

So the Ms French has inspired our Kangaroo yet again and we're loving his drawing's. They are gradually fleshing out and developing more character. He still begs for us to do it for him or have us sketch the outline but we really try to be as hands off as we can and let him develop his own special style. Beautiful to watch but sometimes it really would be easier to just do it for him but that's not an attitude we want to develop.

Can you guess that the audio book The Natives were listening to was about horses? :D

These are the Days of Play

Well, it's all been pretty quiet event and action wise on this here south eastern front but my little natives have been anything but quiet and in fact have been a little loopy. The weather has been unseasonably wet but when the rain has ceased for the occasional few moments we have ventured on out and enjoyed the brief snatches of sunshine at the park or otherwise.

After cleaning out our house and shed so thoroughly (I've been on a spring clean and a 'if we haven't used it in x amount of time, pass it on' bend for about two months now, which naturally meant we abstain from thrifting trips for awhile) I thought that we deserved a peek into the Thrift Shops. And 'Oh Wow!' didn't we score :D For less than a twenty we went home with a heaping pile of quality books for mainly Kangaroo to enjoy and also unearthed an amazing array of 'new' dress ups for both Kookaburra and Kangaroo. And haven't their imaginations been on the buzz since.

The little Green cap Kangaroo is wearing in the pic above was from China's Chairman Mai Communist era, complete with the little red star. We explained the little hats origins to which Kangaroo took inspiration and played out going to war for the next few hours. He would sweetly kiss me and say tender goodbyes and walk slowly up the hallway to catch his train but would pause every few steps and lift his tiny hand up slowly for a mournful little wave and make me promises of a safe return before continuing slowly out the door. Such a fun little chap.

But as always Kookaburra returns to his fairly constant building projects. His current project he had pushed to the back of his pile about six months ago but has decided this week to give it another go. He pulled it out again and is so stoked by the new found ease with which he is be able to do this once frustrating task. Hooray for growing older :)

I love this $2 op shop find!!! I was hunting for something like this after we watched The Fox and the Child a few months ago for Kookaburra to carry around his notebook, pens and treasured items in, but the best I had been able to turn up isn't even a scratch on this fair dinkum leather satchel.

It's the sort of thing I imagine a small boy from the forties may have slung over his shoulder on his way off to school.

We read Little Tim and the Brave Sea Captain which has inspired some great imaginative play but the sweetest of which was sharing hot cocoas with Christian before venturing back out to sea.

Rarely do I purchase fluffy's or teddy's from op shops but Kangaroo pleaded pitifully for his new friend Christian the Lion and justified and talked me into taking the crazy haired, immediately freshly scrubbed, much loved, dear new friend home. How on earth did he justify? Well, after I said no, he explained clearly and as calmly as Kangaroo possibly can, that this was in fact Christian the Lion. We first met Christian from the famous You tube video and secondly from two great children's books we found consequently because of the video, at our local library. I could then see his connection and so now Christian has come home with us and he happily joins another scrappy looking previously acquired feline named Duma. Together the cats are inseparable from our little mate Kangaroo's side. Except, I should admit, for today's horrified, frenzied, screaming meltdown moment when Minna , our mischievous puppy, pinched Christian and took off with him into the back yard. Christian was safely retrieved but Kangaroo was still admonishing poor little Minna for hours after!

Changing our Morning Chaos into.....

a time when we connect and are enriched.

For months our morning rhythm had been lacking a little glue. The 'something' that would bring my boys and I together a little more than a bowl of cereal at the kitchen table after chores. So I searched the Homeschool Mummy Blogger World for a solution and what I found has been so simple and has made such a marvelous difference to us. Drum roll please...... introducing........

'The Morning Basket'!

I wish I remembered whose blog it was that I first came across this idea so I could give credit where it is due, but unfortunately, I'm so sorry, I don't! Regardless, I still want to share what gets our brains warmed up for the morning. What gets us chatting and in sync with each other. Before we had The Morning Basket we usually shared a book over brekky but this idea has provided us a sense of structure and purpose and somewhere to go once we complete a book.

So this is how it works. I usually finish my cereal first and then I read while my boys are still slowly consuming theirs. We have a Poetry selection.....



followed by a character enrichment type of book....




By this time Kookaburra has finished his cereal and is ready to take his turn reading aloud. Kookaburra has been a very reluctant reader but taking turns and looking upon the reading aloud as sharing a story rather than practicing has made a lovely difference to his outlook on reading. Whilst Kookaburra still rarely goes and reads a book for himself, he is very willing and even Happy to take his turn reading aloud. I've thought that perhaps because we read aloud so often through out our day that maybe Kookaburra has less of an inclination for personal reading because for the moment he's satisfied with what we're doing.

Kookaburra reads a story from his children's Bible.....



followed by his own poetry selection.....




after Kookaburra's readings we end our Morning Basket with a Narration selection which both my boys generally participate in.....




Finally we close with a prayer.

By about half seven we're all finished and my boys are at a lose end and usually want to draw, build lego and sometimes squabble. To help me out and allow me some time to get the rest of my chores done and prepare for our day, I've been playing audio books which they listen too whilst (supposedly) doing a quite activity. Our current selection is The Cat of Bubastes by G A Henty (which is free!!!! Thanks Librivox :D).

The Morning Basket has made a great difference to our morning. At the start of our day my boys and I are gathered together at the breakfast table learning, laughing and chatting. It has been a wonderful way to help set the tone for the day. We are enjoying being together and are establishing our rhythm right from the very start.

The Composer is DEAD!!!!!

Morbid book title hey?!

Actually, it's correct title is

Lemony Snicket The Composer is Dead.

Normally I would be The Last Person *said with loads of emphasis* to bring this material to my boys based on the title alone. But on this occasion I have relented because of a great experience we had in relation to this very cool book.

We first encountered The Composer is Dead as a performance when we attended The Out Of The Box Festival about midway through this year. Out of the Box is an amazingly, awesome, fun, biannual festival for children eight years and younger, produced by the Queensland Performing Arts Centre in Brisbane. When I was completing my booking form I was under strict instructions by the Fantastic Mr E, for two performances and two workshops ONLY! Wonderful, but the Pressure! The title threw me but after reading numerous reviews and pondering the value of the performance as opposed to others, I decided to chance it. I figured we could always walk out if it wasn't for our little family - no worries, we have done it before ;) Well , as the show began the word MURDER rang out so heavily and often that I wasn't sure if the journey was going to be worth it, (our boys didn't know what that word meant but in due course they figured it out from the context) but fortunately for all of us, Mr E stayed my hand and we remained for the entire excellent, entertaining and educational performance. We learned all about the orchestra in a style which portrayed the instruments as having distinct personalities as a detective investigated each instrumental group for its possible involvement in the Composers Death. We loved the show. We gained so much from the performance and realized that the educational intent used its slightly morbid vehicle to really entertain and enrich us, it's absolutely captivated audience.

Now to the book. Last week we made it to the library and there before us is this book by the same title as the performance we had viewed earlier this year. Duh! I hadn't realized that the performance was straight from a book of the same title. I grabbed it and yabbered excitedly to my boys about it, who then in turn yabbered and nagged me piteously all the way home and then continued mercilessly until the book was read. It (thankfully :D) comes with a CD with music and the narrative too.

In order to maximize the opportunity of having this book with us, I did a little Googling and found a lesson plan and video's to compliment it and have turned The Composer is Dead, into a study for this week. Not too intense, just a gentle extension on what my little men are already enjoying. The video's are below and are great to enjoy if you can't access the book, but if like me, the grim vehicle for story telling makes you balk, preview and weigh up the benefits and negatives. Hopefully someone out there likes Lemony Snicket The Composer is Dead (or possibly loves it!) almost as much as we do.

Still not sure if it's for your family and would like to read some other reviews? Visit The Children's Book Review to help you in your decision :).

Psst.... if you do watch the video, just hang on long enough to get past the little intro for the story to begin :D

Active Listening

From

The Complete Secrets of Happy Children
by Steve Bidduluph

This then is active listening. In such cases parents are far from silent: they are interested, and show it by confirming their child's feelings and thoughts and by helping the child to think it through.

Using this approach:


* parents rarely give remedies or attempt to rescue..... - unless this is clearly necessary;


* they rarely advise..... - unless the child really needs information;


* they rarely distract the child from the problem..... - unless the child is a chronic whinger!

.........

Many parents have found active listening a great relief. They don't have to keep their child forever happy and they don't have to solve the child's problems for him. With active listening they can help the child, while leaving the responsibility, and pleasure, of a solution to the child. The trick is to ask yourself, 'Could my child benefit, in the long run, from solving this problem himself?' You can offer time, clarity and understanding so that a problem can be turned into a learning experience.

Sometimes parents must intervene...... become involved and defend their children's rights because children are powerless to defend themselves. In some cases, kids do NOT want our help - just our support. To get involved would be the wrong thing....

'Just listening' is a powerful medicine. If we can hold back from putting instant band-aids on every hurt, we can enter the deeper world of our children.


Sound advice I'm trying to remember :)

So in Love with....

Charlotte Bronte's

'Jane Eyre'

He rose, and with a stride reached me.

"My bride is here," he said, again drawing me to him, "because my equal is here, and my likeness. Jane, will you marry me?"

Still I did not answer, and still I writhed from his grasp: for I was still incredulous.

"Do you doubt me, Jane?"

"Entirely."

"You have no faith in me?"

"Not a whit."

"Am I liar in your eyes?" he asked passionately. "Little sceptic, you shall be convinced. ........ You - you strange, you almost unearthly thing! - I love as my own flesh. You - poor and obscure, and small and plain as you are - I entreat to accept me as husband."

"What, me!" I ejaculated, beginning in his earnestness - and especially in his incivility - to credit his sincerity: "me who have not a friend in the world but you - if you are my friend: not a shilling but what you have given me?"

"You, Jane, I must have you for my own - entirely my own. Will you be mine? Say yes, quickly."

"Mr Rochester, let me look at your face: turn to the moonlight."

"Why?"

"Because I want to read your countenance - turn!"

"There! you will find it scarcely more legible than a crumpled, scratched page. Read on: only make haste, for I suffer."

His face was very much agitated and very much flushed, and there were strong workings in the features, and strange gleams in the eyes.

"Oh, Jane, you torture me!" he exclaimed. "With that searching and yet faithful and generous look , you torture me!"

"How can I do that? If you are true, and your offer real, my only feelings to you must be gratitude and devotion - they cannot torture."

"Gratitude!" he ejaculated; and wildly - "Jane, accept me quickly. Say Edward - give me my name - Edward - I will marry you."

"Are you in earnest? Do you truly love me? Do you sincerely wish me to be your wife?"

"I do; and if an oath is necessary to satisfy you, I swear it."

"Then, sir, I will marry you."

"Edward - my little wife!"

"Dear Edward!"

"Come to me - come to me entirely now," said he; and added, in his deepest tone, speaking in my ear as his cheek was laid on mine, "Make my happiness - I will make yours."

"God pardon me!" he subjoined ere long; "and man meddle not with me: I have her, and will hold her."

I have read and reread, and reread this passage. The realisation of love reciprocated as Mr Rochester draws Jane out to reveal her love for him, how it makes my heart flutter , pulse quicken, my cheeks flush and oh yes, smile that small smile that will play itself out on your face. The same secretive smile which bids others in the presence of you and your Book to wonder what it is that you've discovered between it's covers.

I've flipped through the pages ahead and I know that tragedy and trial awaits , Mr Rochester and Jane, but also Joy. It so difficult to put 'Jane Eyre' down and go about my day and do what I should.

Rarely before have I been inclined to read romance, even from classic sources, but This! This is so beautiful and I'm so, so very much in love with,

'Jane Eyre'.

Annes' Wisdom

I've finished reading the Little Women series by Louisa May Alcott and have now begun an adventure with Anne of Green Gables. Other than the movies, I have sadly never had the pleasure of Ms Montgomerys' extraordinary little character of Anne but already within the first few pages of her lovely story, I have been captured by Annes' heart, enraptured by the vivid detail and description of scenery and by this little girls desiring for a home.

I want to store away, in this holey memory of mine, such beautiful phrases as:

"Isn't it lovely? Don't you think it must be glad to be a rose? Wouldn't it be nice if roses could talk? I'm sure they could tell us such lovely things."

Who thinks of such things? Surely it hasn't been so long since I was a child that I don't remember such wonderful imaginings.

These roses are from our yard. I can't claim to have a garden really when I've just placed plants in the ground wherever I've seen fit. There is no border to define and none of it really makes any sense but the plants mustn't mind if they are willing to bloom like these roses, in the heart of winter.

Another small drop of wisdom from Anne I want to appreciate and remember, in application to myself, are these beautiful two but so important sentences;

"It's been my experience that you can nearly always enjoy things if you make up your mind firmly that you will. Of course, you must make it up firmly."

There is so much I want to take away from the great books I read, to store theses nuggets of insight away and be able to draw on the lesson in its time. To understand and hold the valuable messages they have to share when I need strength to go on as I know I should or require wisdom in helping our boys grow.

So much is to be gained from the company of great books. The sages tell us so, and they are wise for good reason ;)

'Books are the quietest and most constant of friends: they are the most accessible and wisest of counselors, and the most patient of teachers.'
Charles W. Eliot

Will there be enough time to read them all....