St Patricks Day

I had a proud home-schooling moment on Saturday. Can I say that? I know Saturday of all days but as any homeschooling Mother knows that learning opportunity can take place anywhere and at anytime!  When I get a vision of something then it just has to be done!

This time it was a

St Patricks Day celebration!

I am a firm believer in knowing what you are actually celebrating before you celebrate it especially when you are celebrating with kids.

Friday night I told the kids that they all had to wear something green for a special breakfast the next morning!  Of course they get on board with great exuberance at anything that is a little different and weird.

                                     

 

On the menu for our St Patricks Day breakfast was...GREEN pancakes!!!  My children were horrified, made a big song and dance about them and were reluctant to eat them but did so once they realised that they tasted them same as normal coloured ones.  They did draw the line however at the offer of green scrambled eggs!!

So the table was set!  Fancy having green plates in my cupboards.

I used one of the kids sheets as the table cloth, just in case you were wondering why I would have a table cloth with Giraffes on it.

Now doesn't that look great!

Everyone was ready to tuck in.

 

Just before we started Kaitlyn asked me when "Patrick" was coming for breakfast!

So funny!

As we were having breakfast I read to them the story and history behind St Patricks Day.

My children now know the story of this amazing missionary to the Irish and how he used the Shamrock (which was originally a three leaf clover not the '4') to explain the Holy Trinity to the Irish.  For school today two of them wrote in their learning diary the whole entire story.  I am amazed at their memory. 

To celebrate this day and their learning, St Patricks Day muffins were made and a trip to Grandmas was in order.

We had green grapes to feast upon as well!

This sweet princess just loves to lick the icing off anything!

Who can blame her.

It was a great day and much fun was had and I must say that I am quite proud of the fact that this was such a success.  Yes it took some effort and I had to get out of bed early to make the panckes but it was all worth it!

Happy St Patricks Day!

Simply Apples

I friend of mine rang the other day and arranged a play-date for the following day. (Don't you let my boys here the words 'play-date')  And apart from catching up with each other and letting our children play and discover the hidden gems in her wonderful backyard she arranged for us to go.....

Apple Picking.  How quaint!

So after a cuppa and cake and a decent catch up, we herded the kids into the car and drove to the orchard that had an abundance of apples for us to forage.

I would like to think that every kid gets to go on an apple picking outing.   Its food at its most basic and uncomplicated.  No plastic bags, no tags, no bar codes and no stickers that you have to fish out of your mouth because you forgot to remove them before you took a bite.

Every child should have the opportunity to climb to the highest branch to pick the best and biggest apples. 

And this five year old will not be left behind by her brothers!  Crikey she was climbing things long before she could walk.

Check out this fancy contraption.  The Lady of the Orchard came down to say hello and to show us the easy way of picking the apples way up high.  The kids thought this was really cool and then proceeded to take turns at picking all really out of reach apples.

Little Sophie wasn't so keen on walking around the orchard, she wanted to carried everywhere.

I think it had something to do with the really long grass tickling her wee legs and that there was fallen fruit lying everywhere and she didn't want to stand on the rotting fruit.

Did you know that birds pecked only the ripe fruit?  So if you pick one that has a few holes in it you know that its perfectly ripe and you just need to cut that bit out.  Fancy that!  You learn something everyday.

Apples! 

The Lady of the Orchard is a bird rescuer and her pet Magpie 'Maggie' came down to meet us.  Its not everyday you get to pat and hand feed a magpie!

After today I realised that some of my children are a little snobbish when it comes to food.  Casey was in there, picking loads of apples and eating loads of apples!  But some of my others weren't to keen on eating them straight from the tree. Apparently they needed cleaning! Oh they have a lot to learn!



Twas a great time had by all and loads of apples were picked. Once cleaned(!) I wonder how long they will last in our house.  This type of outing I would recommend to all.

At the risk of sounding new-agey, it allows you to be in touch with nature and the changing seasons.

And to be thankful for our food, to appreciate where it comes from

and to love God, our most awesome Provider!

God almighty first planted a garden.
And indeed, it is the purest of human pleasures.   by Francis Bacon



A Sweet Wee Girl turns 3!

They say that time flies when you are having fun.  Well I must of been having oodles amount of fun because I don't know how she got to be turning 3!  Its absurd I tell you.  She has been long anticipating this day, especially since big sister has had her turn. I have to admit it was a little difficult to keep up the momentum and energy for another birthday party, as the day before her birthday I felt awfully unwell.  I really didn't want to be ripping her off so all day I tried really hard to conjure energy that was hiding from me.

But her day came....at last!  That morning she rolled over and kissed me on the lips and snuggled in for her morning snuggle.   I opened my eyes and sleepily asked her "Good Morning, What day is it today?"  and she said "Tuesday".  Very clever little girl.  So I said "Whats special about today?"  and she gasped and said "Its my BIRTHDAY!"

Happy Birthday to you!!!  OF course there was nooooo lying around in bed after that. We were all up, bleary eyed and matted hair (precisely why I stay behind the camera) to watch her open her pile of presents.  Its all very exciting!

Check out this girls 'bed hair'

 

Clothes clothes and more clothes!

 

Could there be anymore pink?  Pink clothes, pink seat and pink lollies!

And pink tea cups!   Just right for two little ladies!

And again don't look at the sugar (she chose cocoa pops as her breakfast choice)

I love how the sun is shining on her hair and the balloon behind her, very angelic!

Sophie chose her own cake this year. Up until a week ago it was going to be a pink, purple and green fish but then it suddenly changed to a 'Pink Flower'.

Fortunately butter cream icing and I are much better friends than fondant is!  Phew!

Wee thing blew out the candles before we even had sung her 'Happy Birthday'

and then it took her seven goes to blow out them after we did sing it!

Thanks Grandma, Aunty Naomi, Uncle Joe, Uncle Dave and Aunty Tiff, Samson and Phoebe for coming to help celebrate this special girls birthday! 

(its the great thing about having a big family, if only a few of them come you still have enough for a party!)



Sophie had a very special day. She had a whole day with her family doing the things that she loves to do. I love her so much, her smile, her kisses, her midnight cuddles, her sense of humor, her dancing and her beautiful spirit!

Thank you God for giving Sophie to our family!

She truly is a blessing!

A Very Special Birthday

I am rather tired tonight.   Looking forward to hopping into my bed and snuggling down with my book and then drifting off to sleep. Maybe tonight I won't get any nighttime visitors?  I probably will though.  Not that I mind. I love the way Sophie snuggles down into my back and drifts back off to sleep.  Its when she wakes up asking for a banana in the middle of the night that tries my patience.

Anyway......my Biggest Little Girl turned the big  "5"!  Traditionally its this number that marks the end of the pre-school chapter and the beginning of the formal schooling one. Its the birthday where school bags, pencil cases and lunch boxes reign supreme in the present-giving.  Its the number where most parents and children are anticipating/dreading the elusive 'first day of school'.  Its almost a rite of passage.  

But not for this little girl.  Her time at Kindergarten ended yes. But this birthday marks the beginning of a new chapter of schooling at home.  I am looking forward to spending time, loads of time with her.  Its my gift to both her and me.  I truly love that I have all this unhurried time with my children.  I am excited. Kaitlyn will be the first of my children that has not been to school. She will not have the 'school' way of learning ingrained in her. She will be free to learn the way God has designed her too.  That in itself is such a blessing to me.

And as with all momentous occasions and birthdays we celebrated in style.   Celebrations started the day before her birthday with a "tea party" with three of her most special friends from kindy.  It was the most fun decorated the house for this. A ladder was even required!

 

We even had tea cups filled with "Pink Tea".

(Lemonade with a few drops of pink food colouring in it)

Lacey table cloth and pretty flowers, a must for a tea party!

The look of anticipation on little sisters face is priceless!

My big 5 year old in her favourite tea party dress!

Kaitlyn decorated her own ice cream cake (you can stop thinking of all that sugar)!

Its a cheats versions of an ice cream cake. You tip a tub of ice cream upside down on a plate and go to town decorating it with sprinkles, wafers, choc fingers and chocolate sauce!  You have to work fast mind you as it starts to melt, then plonk it back into the freezer until you need it.



Then it was time to say goodbye to her friend and we sent them off with a special 'thank you' gift!

It was such a lovely afternoon!



That night I spent a considerable amount of time and energy constructing her cake, which was a surprise this year!  Actually I had a temper tantrum over it and even swore a couple of times. My husband will tell you that he feared for his life but it wasn't THAT bad.

Here is the final product.

We mamas are super special I tell you!

No sleep in for us, its up early on Birthday morning to open presents of course!!

 

Miss '5' was super excited to discover her bestest present!!

Of course you have to try it out immediately, even if it is inside!

Once again stop looking at the sugar!

Tradition has it, in our family the birthday person gets to choose whatever they want for breakfast.  This year she chose 'Froot Loops'! I was so embarrassed I had to hide them in the bottom of the shopping trolley along with the Cocoa Pops little Sophie chose for her birthday three days later!

Thank you for all the gifts she got given.  She spent the evening talking about all the presents she received.  Very Pink!  And VERY girly!   Right up her alley!

AND last but certainly no means least

THE CAKE! THE CANDLES!

THE SONG!

and all the

ATTENTION!

After all, isn't that what birthday party's are all about!!

I THINK SO!!

Happy Birthday my

Princess!

Thank you to all who came and celebrated this day with her and with us.

 You are all important people in our lives!

The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate.-- Oprah Winfrey

Now on to this sweet little princess's birthday...