Mt Wellington Snow Day!

Winter seemed to whizz past faster than expected and as we watched the clouds dump snow on the caps of Mt Hartz from our balcony, we realised that the warmer weather was approaching before we had a chance to enjoy it. So after a generous dusting of snow was delivered, we grabbed some lunch and headed up to the smaller Mt Wellington for some fun! This was L's first visit to the snow and although R and B had both seen snow when they were younger, this was the first time that they were old enough to appreciate it. L was not sure what to do at first and planted her feet firmly into one spot refusing to move! R and B quickly learned the art of making snow men, throwing snowballs and making snow angels with squeals of delight and rosy cheeks! It was a fantastic day and one that we will remember fondly. It's easy to take for granted the places that we can visit on a day out - beaches, mountain peaks, lakes, rivers and waterfalls are all on our doorstep and there to be enjoyed...

Weights and Measures

When it comes to mathematics, learning about measurement is one of R and B's favourites. They love anything that is 'hands on' and after feeling the weight of various household items, loved to weigh them to find out how accurate their estimations were.

Music Time

There is nothing like expending that excess energy by turning up the music, grabbing an instrument and taking to the 'stage'.... The 'Music Time' CD is a favourite here and with our bag of percussion instruments and rhythm ribbons, we rarely get through the entire compilation before we are all exhausted and ready for a break!

Grass Heads

R and B both enjoyed growing their 'Grass Heads' and posing for some photos to put on the front. They are both looking forward to giving them a haircut!

A few new additions to the family!

From the very moment that we set off toward home with our new hermit crabs, we could see that they were going to be interesting characters. First there were little scratching sounds coming from inside the box, then a curious eye stalk peered out through one of the air holes! (I don't know which of us were more surprised to be suddenly 'eye to eye')

We arrived home to some very excited kids who were not quite sure what to expect, but eager all the same. Once we had the terrarium set up ready to go with pools of fresh and salt water for them to clean and soak in, we took them out and studied each other for a while before letting them explore their new surroundings.

We gave the naming duties to each of the kids - B decided on 'Mawdy' (first thing that popped into her head!), R chose 'holey' (because it liked to dig holes!) and as L could obviously not communicate her ideas to us, the final crab remained un-named for several days before being declared 'Jane' ('Jane/John Doe'!).
During the first few days of adjustment, the crabs were shy. Gradually Mawdy seemed to be the bravest, climbing halfway out of his shell to have a good look at what was going on. Jane was the most timid, she would shoot under her shell at lightning speed when anyone dared to look too closely at her! They have now become accustomed to cruising around on the dining table during lunch time so that we can interact with them (and where they are safe from being accidentally trod on by careless little feet!). Sometimes we have put them on the floor for a few moments while cleaning the terrarium, but have been surprised by how quickly they can shuffle away and hide!! We have found ourselves on hands and knees looking under the furniture for their hiding place!
Mawdy did not take long to decide that his new terrarium would be all the more enjoyable if he were to have a new shell too. Unlike Jane's pretty shell, the one he chose is very plain, but much more roomier that the last.

The cutest moment that we have had so far, was to hear them talking to each other. At first I did not realise that they were capable of vocalisation, but on studying them, had learned that they make what is described as a 'chirping' or 'whirring' sound. While relaxing in the lounge one evening we got to hear it for ourselves!! They communicated to each other for a few moments and appeared to be like a group of happy kids all having a lovely time climbing onto the log and enjoying the pool!! From what I have read, vocalising is infrequent so we are happy to have witnessed it and satisfied that they are indeed happy in their new home!

Little Artists

R and B love to express themselves artistically in many ways. This week we decided to use some animal stencils with some sponge brushes! (R's work on left - B's work on right)

A Colourful Display

Science experiments seem to have become the highlight of our week. We are having so much fun with them that R and B eagerly ask what we will be doing next! Thankfully we came across the book '501 Science Experiments'. There are experiments in Astronomy, Biology, Chemistry, Geology/Geography, Physics & Weather which should keep up going for a very long time! They certainly create some in-depth discussions around the dinner table and seem to naturally point us in the direction of our next experiment.

Exploring Hartz Mountains

It was lovely to have the kid's Great Grandpa came over from the mainland to visit for a week, so we were itching to take him out into the wilderness and explore some of Tasmania's National Parks. Hartz Mountains National Park was our destination. A part of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area, it is located in Tasmania's south-west and dotted with small glacial lakes. We chose a walk to one of these lakes - Lake Osborne.

The 45 minute uphill walk was expected to be slightly demanding for the kids, but they were keen to come along and explore their surrounds. It was a delight to see R looking for fungi and studying the vegetation. B strolled along beside Grandpa, following his lead as he paused to smell a flower or feel the texture of leaves or bark. L was delighted to ride in the 3 wheeler pram as D navigated it around tree roots and bumped it over rocks. The kids were also glad to have their Nan along for the walk, so dashed back and forth between us all. Along the way, we stopped to read plaques that taught us about the young rainforest of myrtles, sassafras and pandani and 'Devils Marbles' - large boulders dumped onto the plateau by glaciers.

When we arrived at the lake, we were amazed at how crystal clear the water was. We could see clearly to the rock lined bottom and almost immediately sampled the cool fresh water. While we ate our picnic lunch, we perched ourselves on large rocks among the King Billy pines and took in the amazing beauty of our country.

Feeling refreshed we headed back down the track. Not long into the return walk, B complained of sore legs, so L snuggled into the sling while B enjoyed the pram ride. R was happy to walk back and amazed us with his boundless energy! A great day was had by all. So much so, that we have made a commitment to making our treks into the wilderness a regular occurence. Watch this space for more of our Tasmanian adventures!

Our Little Black Friends

 What do you think
Is under the ground
Where the ants all go
With the food they've found?

Do they have a tiny
Set of stairs
That leads to a room
With tables and chairs?

And do they remember
To wipe their feet
Before they sit down
To the table to eat?

           Evelyn A. Wade

One cloudy day we headed out with buckets, spoons and a container to collect some ants and soil for our new ant habitat. The kids bubbled with excitement as we walked along the banks of the Huon River looking for a nest of ants. A couple of times we had stumbled upon a promising hole, only to quickly back away when we discovered that the tenants were in fact the ferocious looking Inchman! The clouds had become ominous and the search was beginning to look fruitless, when R announced that he had found what we were looking for - the smaller and much friendlier Black ant. Collecting these little insects was not to be an easy task, it was sometimes a case of putting one into the container and two escaping! We needed at least 20 of them to re-home successfully, so we continued persistently until the clouds became even more menacing and rain started to fall! D decided to dash to the shelter of the car with one child in his arms and two little sets of legs running closely behind. With collection half completed and determination to see happy little faces peering into the ant habitat later in the day, I tried to ignore the fat droplets landing on my back until I was happy that we had all that was required.

After arriving home, D headed off to work while the kids and I layered soil in the base of the habitat and then ran a connecting tube into the container of ants. We watched and waited..... and waited..... and waited some more..... The kids were surprisingly patient. One little ant would travel up the tube, stop at the entrance and then scurry back to the container before doing it all over again. Eventually he decided that he would be brave enough to venture into the unknown, but around 5 hours later, only one other had joined him. The only other way that had been suggested, was to place them in the freezer and check them at 1 minute intervals until they were all 'sleeping' and then tip them into the centre hole quickly before they woke up again!! Although the idea was quite amusing, I pictured ants escaping all over the place and decided to improvise. We opened the bung hole on the little container and as one ran through, others were prevented from escaping. The lone ant was caught as it ran quickly across the table, before being dropped into a little hole at the top of the habitat designed to allow for topping up water supplies. This method worked well and before long we were watching them explore their new home.

Observing them has been entertaining and almost therapeutic. Similar to watching fish swim around in a tank! More interesting than fish though, watching them move dirt around and talk to each other shows that these little creatures have quite a lot going on in that tiny little brain!!

Our little man turns a big 5!!

Introducing..... R the Magnificant!
(or 'R Kings the Magician' as he likes to call himself!)

It has been 5 years since the arrival of our first born. I remember back to that day where there was a flood of emotions - joy, love, fear, helplessness... it is without a doubt the most emotional event that we have ever experienced and almost seems like a dream to recall it now. Our healthy and active little man with questions and opinions is far different from the sick little baby that we almost lost. We watch in awe as he continues to transform into his own unique personality, we laugh at his jokes, smile at his antics and learn of his personal tastes. His cheeky smile warms our hearts.

A Happy Easter

The year is zooming along as Easter seems to come quickly once Christmas has passed. The supermarkets soon stock shelves with all things chocolate and shiny to tempt those who are usually strong willed to fill trolleys with Easter gifts for every family member and friend. Children around the world wait eagerly for the 'Easter Bunny' to deliver a mountain of sweet delights so that they can devour as much as they can before their little bellies can't take any more... ohh and not to forget the 'cha ching' of cash registers filling with the profits of the season!
We have started our own traditions for Easter, as we prefer to spend time together in the kitchen making hot cross buns and homemade Easter chocolates rather than spending money on commercial products. The kids look forward to getting their fingers sticky and of course sampling the end result!! Although we do not follow a particular religion, we hope that as the kids grow we will be able to help them fully understand the true meaning of Easter and perhaps create their own traditions for the season.

A Proud Moment

R has been gradually working through various sets of 'Magic Words'. The first 100 'Magic Words' make up approximately half of those used to read and write. He has surprised us with his enthusiasm and persistence to learn each set and is always eager to get his hands on the next set! When he had learned those first 100 words, we were proud to presented him with a Certificate to show his achievement!

L has turned One!

It is hard to believe that our littlest baby has been with us for a year!! Like all of our kids, each day she appears more grown up than the one before. Sometimes I feel like I miss those first few months, although it is also very exciting to see them reach all of those milestones and grow into their own little personalities. L loves her big brother and sister very much... she watches closely when they are playing and then joins in enthusiasticly, squealing and throwing herself into the middle of the mayhem and enjoying every second of it!! She has great conversations with R, who appears to understand exactly what it is that she is saying and responds accordingly. Time alone with B is usually more relaxed as she joins in baking cookies in the play kitchen or they sit together on the beanbag watching playschool. It is a joy to watch them all together.... we are in awe of being blessed with 3 beautiful children. That's not to say that it is always peace and love!!! There are moments when they seem to all want the same toy at the same moment or times when a friendly game gets out of hand!!

A Little Bit of Science

It was with much enthusiasm that we grew a 'Magic Tree'. For those who have not seen a Magic Tree before, it is made of blotting paper that absorbs a saline solution which then causes crystals to form. The process takes about 10 hours to complete. The final result is a miniture tree covered with a foliage of lovely delicate salt crystals!

The Road Trip

Over breakfast one day our conversation led to the decision that we would take a road trip and explore a little of the Northern part of our state. We had never before ventured off for more than a day trip as a family of five, so this would be our first real family holiday!

2 weeks later we set off towards Launceston for a stay at Cosy Cabins in Hadspen. Some of the places that our adventure led us to were the model village of 'Old Hobart Town', Ashgrove Cheese factory, Anvers Chocolate Factory, Seahorse World, Platypus House and Cataract Gorge. Of course there were a few parks visited along the way, so that the kids could burn off some of their excess energy!!

http://s4.photobucket.com/user/buboo/slideshow/Launceston%202009

After 3 days away, we returned home exhausted and in need of another holiday!! Maybe next time we could relax by a pool sipping cocktails!!

2009 - The Beginning of Homeschooling

2009 marked the beginning of homeschooling for our family. After several years of research and a trial run late during the previous year, we worked out a formula that we could begin with. For the moment we are happy to let the learning be largely led by the kid's latest interests. We expect that schooling will be something that continually changes for us as the kids abilities, focus and enthusiasm for certain subjects grow.

One subject in particular never seems to be far from their thoughts - Insects (anything creepy-crawly really!!). If it is small enough to fit into the magnifying container and stands still long enough, then it is fair game. Even tiny critters that try to make a run for it but are not quick enough, will end up as the latest family pet for a day! Over time, it seems that the content of the container becomes more and more creepy... we seem to have an influx of scorpians recently!