Valentines day

Our Valentines Day.
Pooh took me for a walk on the beach and provided a snack. It was gorgeous, the day was so clear and the ocean was awe inspiring. I made those in the picture below. While it cost us very little and certainly came in under our $10 limit, we both thought it was a hoot and appreciated the efforts, especially the time together.

Pikelets for morning tea and brewed coffee of course.

I crocheted love birds and made a card.

Minimalism

I have always been curious of minimalism. The problem I had though, I'm a hoarder and recycler of all things remotely useful.
I have so much stuff and it is ruling me, I hate it.
In an effort to understand minimalism, I down loaded 2 kindle books, appropriate don't you think, Miss Minimalist (Francine Jay) and Clear your clutter with Feng Shui (Karen Kingston). Both books I enjoyed very much they had different things to offer. It seems like all things you have to get into the head space  of minimalism. I love the idea the Miss Minimalist had, can she walk away in an emergency (political or natural etc) and feel ok? I know I could not! I like the idea of working towards it though.

This would have been a ridiculous concept a few years ago, but secretly I wished a disaster would befall my house (not my family!) so I could start again. I suspect I'd just pile up the stuff again so learning to part with things and file things safely is by far a better lesson.

I love the idea of never having a dvd again. A physical disc that gets damaged. I want to down load my movies as I want them off 'the cloud' which I'm still to get my head around.

I want to sort all my photos digitally on the 'the cloud' and various hard drives so I can't lose them to theft or disaster.

I would like to transfer my books to kindle or pdf. I suspect I'd always want a few 'real' books for inspiration. I love the feel of books and looking at the pictures.

Can I transfer all my cook books to digital? Some are available as kindle versions but lots are not. Can I scan and transfer to pdfs. I have no idea, would that even be legal?

How about no cd's or a reduced amount and using my ipod?

How can I de-clutter my kitchen? Now that makes me feel a little faint. Baby steps, baby steps.

Guilt and Ramblings

I feel very bad I've not taken the time to post, I do apologise!

We have been busy over the Christmas new year period, like everyone else! We had littlest in hospital twice with lung issues. He has now been well for over a month now! Hooray!

We had a thrifty Christmas, everyone was happy and no debit occurred. We didn't do a homemade one but the older children commented they would like to do that this year again.

We are delighted out DD16 got into Uni this year. She will be doing in distance ed. If you are disciplined, DE is brilliant, it cuts so many costs.

She will save heaps:
*Moving out of home
*New furniture
*Rent/Food other than board at home
*A car or transport to get to Uni, a job or shops
*No uni parking fees
*No library fees/photocopying etc
*No text books (Most is available on line now, it's amazing!
*No student union fees

For older people who didn't do their HSC or state equivalent, you can do a tertiary preparation course at home, on the internet and gain acceptance that way.
Something like this: http://www.cdu.edu.au/lba/all/programs/tep.html It is full time and you can't work and do it in the evenings, it will be too much, those who did dropped out.

It's never too late :o)

So DD got a small extension to her room done in preparation of lots of study. Here's her new office:

A brand new bench top

Today the other bench top was finished! Soon we will make new cupboard doors, I'm thinking white french country look.

Oiling the new top

All the stuff back in and functional!

Nesting in the Island bench from post below :o)

I was nervous about doing the kitchen but I'm really happy with how it is turning out.  I have so much more bench space and things are easier to store and find. I'm thrilled that it has cost so very little. I did buy the woven baskets but they were quite cheap, $14 each I think. All the timber was from trees that fell over in the huge storm we had over a year ago. It is so much easier to do these this if you have the tools, thankfully DS does.

New kitchen Island bench

Ds made me this awesome timber bench from timber on the property. It was designed to fit my thermal cookers and large cooking pots. I'm yet to nest properly but here it is!

Illegal food activity? The Food Bill verses the other Food Bill

Garden fresh, healthy and keeping the family food bill down :o) 

Possession of these seeds could become as illegal as carry illicit drugs with the other Food Bill.

We are enjoying some of the fruits of our garden, we plan to keep the seeds and we'd love to share out of our abundance, but for how much longer will this be legal?


The US have already passed this Bill and NZ introduced it to parliament last year very quietly.
When is Australia's turn? When will this bill be quietly slipped in? Can you imagine it being illegal to grow and share garden produce, seeds, herbs and water!!!!


A normal person cannot even imagine this getting any air time, let alone being passed in the US and through the first round of Parliament in NZ.


Here's a snippet:

What are the problems with the Food Bill? From http://nzfoodsecurity.org/

- It turns a human right (to grow food and share it) into a government-authorised privilege that can be summarily revoked.

- It makes it illegal to distribute “food” without authorisation, and it defines “food” in such a way that it includes nutrients, seeds, natural medicines, essential minerals and drinks (including water).

- By controlling seeds, the bill takes the power to grow food away from the public and puts it in the hands of seed companies. That power may be abused.

- The bill will push up mainstream food prices by subjecting producers to red tape and registration costs. Food prices are already rising due to increased energy costs and commodity speculation, while effective disposable incomes are falling.

- Growing food for distribution must be authorised, even for “cottage industries”, and such authorisation can be denied.

- Under the Food Bill, Police acting as Food Safety Officers can raid premises without a warrant, using all equipment they deem necessary – including guns (Clause 265 – 1).

- Members of the private sector can also be Food Safety Officers, as at Clause 243. So Monsanto employees can raid premises – including marae – backed up by armed police.

- The Bill gives Food Safety Officers immunity from criminal and civil prosecution.

- The Government has created this bill to keep in line with its World Trade Organisation obligations under an international scheme called Codex Alimentarius (“Food Book”). So it has to pass this bill in one form or another.

- There are problems with Codex also. Codex will place severe restrictions on the content of vitamins, minerals and therapeutic compounds in food, drinks and supplements etc.

- The Food Bill means that non-Codex-complying producers can be shut down easily – thus it paves the way for the legal enforcement of Codex food regulations. Producers will be denied registration (which is discretionary) if they do not keep to Codex food production rules.

To read the bill click here.

We need voices to tell our politicians that this is not OK for Australia

Thanks to Rob for the heads up on this.

Kitchen changes

When were moved into our house nearly 10 years ago, there was no kitchen so we took the offer of a freebie. This freebie has served us well but it was a horrid shape and function lacking. Finally I had an idea to rearrange and gain better functionality.
So far it looks like it's going to cost about $50 for grout, shelf holders and some new drawer runners.
Sorry the pics are lacking, I lost the camera for a few days in the mess I made.

We pulled off the wall mounted cupboard from above the stove. Plastered and sanding it.

All sanded and about to paint.

Painted and Pooh putting up some shelves. Outdoor brackets and reclaimed timber.

Almost done, need to add cup holders and a basket for all the herbal teas. Need to grout the tiles too.
I'm hoping to get a range-hood to go above the stove.
We have to make a small bench for the left of the stove. DS made a small cupboard for the baking trays etc.

Here is the deep freeze hiding in the hall cupboard
Need to get the power point moved.
The fridge is at the end of the bench we cut off.

This used to have the deep freeze and the fridge in here. The cupboards are the the old island bench that we just pulled out.
We are going to put on a new bench top but for now, so we can eat, we are resting the old bench here.

Cheap books at www.allbooks4less.com.au

I have to sing the praises of http://www.allbooks4less.com.au/ Most of their books are $5 and a few are $10. I went to one of their stores and was thrilled to get a copy of Lola Workman's Gluten free and multi-allergy cookbook for $5

She includes a few recipes of her own flour mixes. I can't wait to get cooking :o) It should be so handy with a child with various food allergies.

How's this sign!!!!!!!

This was at Questacon, outside of the under 6's play area!

What???

Big sister, little brothers

Written by sister

She is the BEST sister

Friend taking boys out

Dad and a few of the children enjoyed a lovely visit to the beach meeting up with another family. They played on the sand, the had a boat ride, played with remote control cars and found natural treasures.

Cost was only fuel.

A bridge to get to the craft room

Pooh and eldest found old timbers, off cuts etc and made this cute bridge so we don't have to get wet feet from the grass. Once the bridge was in place it screamed out for a pond underneath and that is in the making!

It has cost nothing so far and we even got to use the huge bucket of roofing nails we bought for $5 years ago, imagining that they might come in handy one day!

The bridge to craft room

The pond is being dug out

Homeschool routine

What does our homeschooling day look like? How do we get the 'domestic' side of home done?


The day starts the night before.
Go to bed with most of the housework done, try not to leave any dishes for later, have an idea what you are doing for school tomorrow.
We put a pot of porridge in the thermal cooker so breakfast is cooked and ready on rising. Put a load of washing in the washing machine.


Morning: Make bed on rising, ablutions etc, get dressed. While you are waiting for the kettle to boil for your morning cuppa, empty dishwasher from last night. If you don't have one, get one! LOL


Enjoy pre made breakfast with children. While children are getting dressed and making beds get washing out on line.


We tidy house together, vacuum, sweep or wipe down beaches and clean bathroom. Feed chicken and get wood for the fire.


School starts: By 9am we sit down to start school book work.


While the children are having morning tea I get lunch and dinner made. Lunch is usually something easy like tuna mornay. Dinner is something that can be prepared and reheated or put in the thermal cooker to delightfully stew until dinner time. Use time savers like the bread machine and/or slow cooker. Involve the children in the preparation if you like.


Keep working until lunch with children. 


Lunchtime: Shared lunch


Afternoon: Finish off any book work but preferably get into hands on stuff. Out in to the garden, craft or a trip to the park. Bring in washing from line, folded and taken straight to bedroom etc


Dinner: Enjoy the family meal together around 5 pm or 6 pm depending on the older working members of the family. Get dishes done, clean benches.


Children are bathed and can then have free time on computer, or watching some tv.


Bed: Story and bed by 7:30 for children


Mum looks over work for tomorrow, choses dinner for tomorrow if there's no meal plan etc.


Time out: Enjoy time alone with beloved, curled up watch a movie or just chatting with a cuppa and nibbles :o)


Before going to bed, put porridge on for next morning and washing in machine. Lights out.

Maths grade 1

A very happy boy enjoying his maths work.

Part of My Father's World programme

Front door improvements

We didn't have a covered front verandah or porch, we had to walk straight into the house and traipse dirt into the house. So I asked Beloved to extend the eaves and add a seat so we could sit and pull our shoes on and off, also a place to keep the shoes outside but safe from a chewing dog ;o)


DS20 made me a terrific seat, the shoes hid underneath. I think it looks very cosy. DD16 sits outside to have her breakfast admiring the new day. It was all made from recycled timbers and cost virtually nothing. Even the mirror was old, the note the back said to the installer "here's 50 cents for a drink up at no. 47" LOL 
The paint was left over from the fence and the window was an old one from our "Steptoe and son" stockpile.
We still have to put the eaves and I think we will have to buy them. We have the screen doors to hang on.

Back to homeschooling

Our little ones have been really sick with Scarlet fever. They have missed over a month of school, so as they got well enough I started doing schooling work with them. I am pleased to have the boys home as their health improves, it is asthma season for our littlest and ds7 still has very itchy skin and suffering with dry eyes. I can't imagine a school being able to accommodate this so frequently. We are hoping it all improves of course.

I forgot how much I love homeschooling! The children are enjoying themselves so much, they even ask to do school work on Saturday:o-

I have applied for registration and eagerly await my visit. So here' s peep at what were are doing and where. Fingers crossed it ticks all the boxes and pleases the homeschooling registration man :o)

http://www.mfwbooks.com/

There is a lot of paper work to handle so I'm using a portable filing cabinet. So far so good. A section of the main curriculum, the work sheets and then each child's work.

Portable filing box

We have snuggled up for stories here

Nice view for the little ones :o)

New light