The Tea House School

Sweet little red school room image via here

The big news is:

That we are going to be homeschooling!

Yes we are!

We made the decision earlier this (school) term, and put in all the paperwork, and had a visit from the department of education. And all is approved. 

This is the final week of school for the kids. Three more days to go, and then we will be a home schooling family.

It feels big and exciting and scary and wonderful and crazy and all of those things. Plus a heap more. Some days I'm bursting with excitement at the thought of it, and other days I've been wondering when I'm going to get any time on my own, to do my own things, to be my own self. But - then I think I'm ok with that (mostly), and also it will evolve and change and be good and bad. And the kids will learn boundaries, and I will find spaces and pockets of time for myself amongst everything else. 

This blog will become our new school-at-home blog. The kids and I aim to write here about what we do, and also how we do it. We might document our explorations and our new findings and things about our schooling days as well. It's a big learning curve for us all. For me mostly - I think. Having to write the curriculum, and the projects and the daily work.

Oh golly yes. We intend on having a week of holidays (to coincide with Ashey's school holidays), but I think we will probably start some casual schooling on those days just to slip it into our rhythm and get used to it. Also we want to be able to have holidays when the other cousins start theirs in 2 weeks time. 

at the beach

today we::
waited for the new trampoline to be delivered. now we have to wait to set it up.
then we::
went to the beach.
Aunty S, M + me.
a lovely day hidden under the trees with our pretend cubby house.
M met a little girl there, who was a tiny bit older than her.
they ran about on the sand giggling and laughing and washing their shells in the blue azure water.
cold water, but refreshing and beautiful.
it took almost the whole time we were there until M felt happy in the water, and then she didn't want to go home at all and got quite sad.
but we promised that we'd go again very soon, and with the boys too.

right now M is sitting on my lap, kissing me. she smells like suncream.
we are going to make dinner soon - salad, we think.
M is playing baby bawalas (koala).

We are missing you, Daddy + A.
but it's lovely having different noises and talking and conversation in the house {and so much less whinging and arguing!}.

xxxxxxxx

trains and other adventures

we have been going into the city these past two days, to do a course.
you kids are going to a care/babysitting service, that is offered through the course that I am attending.
we've caught the train there and home each time.
and it's like a little adventure for you both.
Ari, you sit up on the seat, looking out the window and calling out everything that you can see.
and mimicing the voice over "stand clear, doors closing".
Mishi, you mimic your big brother in everything he says. 
both of you point out everything you see.
the milk factory, the scary ghost tunnel, the river, the bridge, Stefen's Point Tower, the ferris wheel.
it's really lovely to watch you being so excited and involved with things that us adults find mundane.
and i watch the other train passengers smile with you, smile with delight to hear your pleasure at exploring.
A, you've been saving the train tickets. i think you are going to make a special artwork with them.
you love showing the ticket to the conductor.
and talking to everyone.
you're very confident and say hello with happiness and ease to all who you see.
M, you're so much part of what A does - following and loving what he does. yet also yourself, singing your own songs and talking your own little stories.

going on simple adventures with you both is lovely. and sitting and watching the world through your wide-open eyes.

you have both taken to the babysitting people with ease. and seem to be fine without me for the day, except for being slightly bored (being contained in a teeny tiny room with a handful of babies isn't your idea of fun!).
but it gives me good feelings that when you start kindy very soon that all will go smoothly and happily.

more train adventures tomorrow. and hopefully some lovely train drawings very soon.
today was a sweltering hot day, they handed out free icecreams at the train station - what a lovely and strange thing.
and then a big storm tonight, and lots of thunder and lightning.

daddy worked late on friday night.
we had an early dinner, a picnic in our loungeroom.
then a walk around the streets looking closely at little things.
and watching the gumnuts, planning on coming back soon to see them further opened.
and then home for stories and bed time in the big bed.
because both of you have been sleeping in mummy + daddy's bed, or on mattresses on the floor, for quite a while now.
changes in this new house are making you want to be closer to us more.

*all photos by A, except the two of him.

guests for tea

we had visitors for afternoon on Wednesday.
our lovely lovely cousin A + aunty S.
as M declared just the other day "I love aunty S".

the kids picked some flowers from the backyard, and made a very beautiful arrangement on the back table. isn't it lovely seeing how they can be so beautiful, and how they can take care to make things look special and think about the look of things. rather than just plopping it down.
cousin A told he me especially picked the one long piece of grass, as it looked good.
the yellow blooms in the blue bottle - singing to my heart and eyes.
how lovely to have garden flowers on our breakfast/lunch/dinner/coffee table.

*the cups on the wall are from the toast catalogue, and I just wrote over it in some simple program or other.

upside down

in our backyard.
perhaps from while on the swing.
A enjoys takings random and obscure photos like this.

Often of himself
it's lovely to find photos on my camera.

Daddy and his bike

This is daddy going to work, with his bike. He rides to work, in the city, every day.

The cars in the background are smaller because they are far away.

There's a petrol shop and a coffee shop, too.

Drawn by A, this morning. While he watched Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (for about the millionth time).