Blog Entries tagged 'family'

Xavier and Math

amber@thenappyboutique.com.au — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 16:00:00 +0100

A few weeks back I started Xavier making steps using C-rods (OK on second thoughts it was probably a couple of months ago). He caught on very quickly and was happy to sort anything from shortest to tallest including the cut straws in one of our activity bags.

This week we started to make some connections. I brought out some number cards which we practiced putting in order 0 to 10. Then we built Duplo towers and matched them to the numbers. He immedia [...]

Picture Study - Van Gogh

amber@thenappyboutique.com.au — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 16:00:00 +0100

Today we finished up our picture study on Van Gogh. Ethany and Xavier have really enjoyed learning about Van Gogh, both his life and appreciation of his paintings. Here is our Van Gogh wall, we have studied each of these paintings for 2 weeks. We have also completed our own version of several of his works.

Over this time we borrowed a number of books from th [...]

I'm still here

amber@thenappyboutique.com.au — Sun, 31 May 2009 16:00:00 +0100

Just wanted to drop in quickly to let everyone know that I am still here. We were having some major internet problems, then my beloved iMac died and we have just been super, super busy!! My Blog was the last thing on my mind.

Things are now getting back to normal so I hope to once again be posting regularly.

Ethany's Journal page today

bates.family@optusnet.com.au — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 16:00:00 +0100

A few random things

bates.family@optusnet.com.au — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 16:00:00 +0100

It's hard to get a good picture of Imogen, because as soon as she sees the camera she pulls a funny smiling kind of face and runs right towards you. Here are a couple of shots.

Being a little Mummy wiping her drink cup with the tea towel.

There's the face.
These are new boo [...]

Wordless Wednesday

bates.family@optusnet.com.au — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 16:00:00 +0100

A day in the life of Amber

bates.family@optusnet.com.au — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 16:00:00 +0100

7am - Up and dressed, then breakfast and morning chores. Started the morning with circle time at 9am. Xavier didn’t participate, he woke up on the wrong side of the bed, lol.

Went straight into math. Ethany did her review questions, she had a little trouble with sequencing numbers backwards so we will review that tomorrow. Her new topic today was ordinal numbers we made queues and race [...]

Our last Week or so

bates.family@optusnet.com.au — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 16:00:00 +0100

We had Russell home for a little bit and I got this happy snap. The kids all had to be up at the same time ofcourse!

I found this Marbled Gecko on my laundry window sill. This was very interesting because it is the first one we have found that has lost it's tail. They have false tails to fool their predators so when something grabs them they can d [...]

Happy Birthday!!

bates.family@optusnet.com.au — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 16:00:00 +0100

Love Ethany

I can hear the clogs in Xavier's head

bates.family@optusnet.com.au — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 16:00:00 +0100

Something is going on with my little man at the moment. A few days ago I shared his new found 1 to 1 correspondence, well today he threw himself into Reading Eggs and completed a lesson that has had him stumped for about 6 weeks now. He was actually reading some cvc words. So hold onto your seat for this ride it could be a rollercoaster! I think I will begin 100 Easy Lessons with him and see what happens.

Achievement

bates.family@optusnet.com.au — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 16:00:00 +0100

Ethany passed her level at swimming today!! She now moves into Marlin's which she is very excited about. It sees the end of pre-school swimming and she will now go with the 'big' school kids for swimming. Unfortunately for me that means another trip to the pool each week for after school or weekend swimming. At this stage I think we will go with a weekend class as our schedule during the week is full enough and really I want to be spending a little more time at home ra [...]

Xavier's First Day

bates.family@optusnet.com.au — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 16:00:00 +0100

Well today was a big day at our house. Xavier had his first official day of school, lol. He has been participating with Ethany's lessons since we started HSing but now he has things to do of his very own. He has his own school books, own tasks and his own special 1 on 1 time with Mum snuggling on the couch reading a book.

He did really well today. Not that much changed for him except I guess there was a little more structure for him whereas it has be [...]

We have a backyard, yay!!

bates.family@optusnet.com.au — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 16:00:00 +0100

Today we got a backyard, lol!

Seriously we have had a yard since moving into this house last August but we have had no fencing so whenever the kids want to go out we have to go with them. Today we got a side fence and wings at the side of the house so now we have a contained, child proof backyard. The kids can now go out whenever they like. So very exciting that they can have some freedom back. I can't believe we have about 600 square m of backyard, [...]

They LOVE the Zoo

bates.family@optusnet.com.au — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 16:00:00 +0100

and the animals LOVE them!

These two bob tails followed Xavier and Imogen all around their enclosure trying to get through the glass to the kids.

We are really really enjoying A to Zoo run by Perth Zoo. This term we have been studying African Animals. [...]

More tasks today

bates.family@optusnet.com.au — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 16:00:00 +0100

The minute the kids feet hit the floor this morning they were asking which task they could work on. Gosh, how things change in only a few days! I did make them wait until they had completed their morning routine before starting.

Ethany set to work on a 'teens' board. She had to put an x in the correct number of boxes to show numbers from 11 - 19. After that she worked on making numbers using dice, popsticks and a notebook. Fi [...]

We had a WOW day!

bates.family@optusnet.com.au — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 16:00:00 +0100

Today was not a school day however, as we have been so busy this last week I decided to mix things up a little and worked out a few tasks for the kids to work on throughout the day. They were montessori inspired. The kids had a blast and were asking for more so tonight I will be looking for some new things to incorporate into school tomorrow.

One of Ethany' [...]

A really long day

bates.family@optusnet.com.au — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 16:00:00 +0100

We all had a long day today. We visited our new eye Dr and she was lovely. The appointment took just over 2 hours and unfortunately for Ethany the patching will continue and probably be stepped up in 2 months time. The appointment was VERY thorough, more so than the other Dr we have been seeing.

This Dr has found that not only is she long sighted but she also has an astigmatism which will now be treated too. We are back to the optical dispenser tomor [...]

What does the future hold?

bates.family@optusnet.com.au — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 16:00:00 +0100

Tomorrow we visit a new ophthalmologist for Ethany. She would love to be told no more glasses ever, but we know that isn't a reality. I just hope we can get a better insight into her condition. She is hopeful that we will no longer have to patch everyday which she HATES!

I really have my fingers crossed that this Dr is a good communicator and is happy to answer all of my questions and gives answers that I can understand. It is sad to say th [...]

Farewell CSB, we will miss you

bates.family@optusnet.com.au — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 16:00:00 +0100

Today we laid to rest a very dear friend, a surrogate Grandfather if you like. I will share a funny story he shared with me when Ethany was just a baby.
"We only had 32 nappies for the twins so they had to be washed everyday. I decided one Saturday morning to help IB out and wash the nappies. She told me to add just a tiny bit of starch as that helps to fold them. I went and lit the copper, put in all the nappies, washed them well, put them through the wringer a [...]

Grrr, wireless internet!

bates.family@optusnet.com.au — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 16:00:00 +0100

Please excuse my lack of posting for the last two days. If the stars are not perfectly aligned we don't get any internet, grr. With no phone lines into our VERY old house we rely on wireless internet and being on the outer edge of 'the zone' makes for some unhappy moments at the computer!

And it seems like the venting wont end there this evening, please excuse my rambling.

To the swimming teacher - When you spend all week encouraging and geein [...]