Friday, 22 June 2012

HSMJ - Permission to Pin

In my life this week…
With all the hype in the blogging world over Pinterest on whether to pin or not to pin I followed a link from All Things Beautiful and I read Do You have Permission to Pin over at Corkboard Connections and decided to give official permission for people to pin from my blog.

I took the plunge this week and started a Facebook page so if you are on Facebook I would love to connect with you and chat.  Please pop on over and like the page and say hello. 

I met some new bloggers and enjoyed surfing the www. I struggled about whether or not to do a product review after I discovered that they wanted life long advertising in exchange for a 90 day use of their site.  What would you have done ? 

In our homeschool this week…
Helpful homeschooling tips or advice to share…
  • Sarah over at Amongst Lovely things has posted a post titled Ruth Beechick 101. If you are a little worn out and in need of some encouragement. Head on over and check out Sarah's post.
  • Rebecca over at Mom's Mustard Seeds has written a well balanced post on how she decided on their method of homeschooling.  This is a great article to share with new home school Mums and veteran Mums alike.  There is a Method To our School at Home.
  • Are you homeschooling in New South Wales (Australia) ?  Would like a little insight into how to do your exemption? Pop on over to Rendezvous Junction where you can look at Miss Z (high school) registration, Master J documentation (Year 7) and Miss E Year 1  You can view pdf's of the process and what to submit.
I am inspired by…

Places we’re going and people we’re seeing…
  • Last week Saturday evening I joined my father, brother and his kids for a train trip to Etihad Stadium to watch a rugby match.  We watched a match between Wales and Australia.  Australia won by the skin of their teeth in the very last seconds of the match.  It was nail biting and so much fun. It's been at least 30 years since I last joined my Dad for a ride on a train to a match. 
  • Monday saw us visit my sister and help her on her newest adventure which just happened to be my favourite thing this week!
  • On Tuesday we joined some fellow home educators and went for a day trip to see The Sea Shepherd.
  • It has been too cold to venture out for the rest of the week so we have been enjoying our centrally heated home.
  • My Mom came over for a cuppa.
My favorite thing this week was…
  • Helping my sister start her new blog.  Maryleen has been blessed with an artistic gift and I love to see the things she has made or the things she is currently working on.  I have been encouraging her to start a blog and share some of her creations.  The result is Cherished Moments in Time. Please pop on over and welcome her to blog land.

What’s working/not working for us…
  • not making it to the library to stock up on books for our next adventure on Expedition Earth.

Questions/thoughts I have…
  • What are the sorts of things you like to see shared on Facebook pages ?
Things I’m working on…
  • Heee Heee Meme started by Victor with the intention of spreading laughter and hilarity throughout blogland. I was tagged by Vicky and reminded of my need to add a post by Erin.
  • Back in April Jennifer from Little Homeschool on the Prairie tagged me in a Good Random Fun Meme.  
I’m reading…
I’m cooking…
  • Soup.  It's cold here and the time of the year for old fashioned crock pot cooking and soup.  Got any favourites you like to cook ?
  • My husband cooked some trout in the barbeque /smoker.  Can't wait to try out the new flavour. 
  • I found a great blog via Pinterest  called A Year of Slow Cooking.  I am keen to try use some of her recipe's. The recipes have been listed in two ways: The Entire Year, in order OR Table of Contents, A Year of Slow Cooking.
On Pinterest I found...
  • Plenty of Photography tutorials.  This is my latest adventure and I am really enjoying learning how to use a DSLR camera.
  • One of my newest projects is looking for home school helps in teaching Character.
  • Sir N has been enjoying playing with his lego.  Pinterest has some excellent practical ideas for you.

I’m grateful for…
  •  Great friends who support and encourage me.  For my new blog friends who inspire encourage and coach me on this blogging journey and the ones who are donating e product for a blog birthday give away.

A photo, video, link, or quote to share…
Break Free from Your Mold Zenos Frudakis 2000

Blessings







This post is linking to:
Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers
The Homeschool Chick

The Home school Mother’s Journal began as a single post on a Friday morning over at The Homeschool Chick, and turned into a link-up for homeschool mothers across the blog-O-sphere to share a piece of their journey with one another each week.
The link party has moved and is now hosted over at iHomeschool Network and is open from Friday to Monday so join me in The Homeschool  Mothers Journal and lets encourage one another on our homeschool journey.

Thursday, 21 June 2012

A Bit of Fun ... 11 & 11 & 11 & 11

I've been "tagged" by Jennifer over at Little Homeschool on the Prairie and I thought this looked like fun! Be sure to pop on over to her space.  Jennifer has a published book and shares some great practical homeschool craft ideas.
The Rules:
  1. Post these rules.
  2. Post a photo of yourself and 11 random facts about you.
  3. Answer the questions given to you in the tagger’s post.
  4. Create 11 new questions and tag new people to answer them.
  5. Go to their blog/twitter and let them know they have been tagged.
A Photo ...

11 Random Facts about Me
  1. I'm six foot tall.
  2. I was blessed with two big babies [One was 4.185 kg (9 lb 2 oz) and the other was 4.42 kg (9 Lb 74 oz)]
  3. I don't wear makeup.
  4. I am not a shoe person.  I like my sneakers in winter and my Piper Sandals for summer.
  5. I have worn the same style sandal for 27 years. I bought my last pair from Piper Sandals and will never use a different brand.  The quality is the best I have ever found.
  6. I love the smell of percolated coffee but can't stand the taste!
  7. I have more than 4 000 books on my shelves.  (No you don't need a personal library to homeschool that is my personal pet collect.)
  8. I got engaged at 18 I was married at 19
  9. My first born was born on my 21st birthday.  Yes you read that right.  We share a birthday and I'm still trying to convince him that it's mine because I got there first ;o)
  10. I am a South African, Kiwi import to Australia....  I was born in South Africa, migrated and naturalised to become a New Zealand citizen in 2001, and now I live in Australia.
  11. I like to watch rugby and enjoy the Tri-Nations even more because it doesn't matter who wins I am behind the winning team.   (see point ten above).
 Jennifer's Questions / My Answers

  1. What’s your favorite verse or quote?
    I have a few.  Trust in the Lord with all of your heart and lean not on your own understanding. This is the one that is currently the edge of my learning curve.
  2. What’s your favorite family activity?
    Reading a good book out loud.
  3. Favorite book?
    Oh my this is a hard one I have a few. Homeschooling - A Charlotte Mason Companion,  Christian novel - Mark of the Lion Trilogy 
  4. Favorite room in the house? My office, I'm really enjoying blogging and learning the skills needed for this.
  5. If you could visit any place, where would you go and why?
    I need to break the rules on this one and give two: I would love to go to Israel, and see the places that Jesus ministered. I would also love to go to Yellowstone National Park in the US. I did a project on the park in high school and ever since then I've wanted to see it in person.
  6. When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
    A pilot. I would still love to get my Private Pilots Licence. Anyone out there willing to sponsor me ?
  7. Who or what inspires you?
    I have a few authors who inspire me such as Karen Andreola, Sally Clarkson and Diana Waring. I am inspired and encouraged by many of my blog friends.
  8. How would you describe yourself in five words or less?
    Homeschool Mom, Curious, Book-holic, Information Junky,
  9. Why did you start blogging?
    To share resources with the wider homeschool community. I missed my friend in New Zealand who used to share all her treasures with me.
  10. How would you describe your style of homeschooling?
    Eclectic Sonlighter. I love Sonlight but over time I have found a couple of other things I prefer using so for my spine I use Sonlight and then eclecticly fill in the rest.
  11. What’s one of the most important lessons you’ve ever learned?
    Not to have concrete result expectations. To be patient and give it time.
My Questions
  1. What are you reading at the moment ?
  2. What blogging advice would you give a new blogger ? (two tips)
  3. What is your idea of a perfect day ?
  4. Do you use a curriculum and if so which one ?
  5. How do you do it all and find time to blog ?
  6. What are your top three traits in a friend ?
  7. Do you use Pinterest ?(Please share your link)
  8. What are the top three home school blogs you visit ? (please link to them)
  9. Do you join in link up parties ?  If so which ones ?
  10. Do you use Notebook pages ?  If so where do you access yours from ?
  11. Do you do Nature Journaling ? If so have you blogged about your methods ?
I would love to hear from these ladies
  1. Vicky over at Creating with Wisdom
  2. Erin over at Seven Little Australians.
  3. Sarah over at Amongst Lovely Things
  4. Catherine over at Serenades and Solace.
  5. Deborah over at The Paper Maid.
  6. Chelle over at Last in Line.
  7. Rebecca over at Moms Mustard Seeds.
  8. Becca over at  One Homeschool Journey.
  9. Lisa over at Home to 4 Kiddos
  10. Jenni over at Our Journey.
  11. Alyson over at Family Style School.
Please, consider yourselves "tagged", even if I don't stop by your blog to leave official word. If you decide to play along and have some fun, I'd love to read your posts :) If any other readers want to play along as well, feel free! Leave me a comment with a link to your post and I'll make sure to visit and I will add you to the list!

So far I have enjoyed reading posts from Susan and Jennifer.

Blessings
Chareen

Tuesday, 19 June 2012

TT - The Phantom Tollbooth

 Welcome to Tuesdays Treasures.  I started these posts as a way of sharing great books in honour of my friend in New Zealand who would arrive with the treasures she had unearthed at her weekly trip to the library!

There are so many wonderful books out there hiding on shelves so I invite you to blog about a book on your shelf, one you're reading or one you found at the library and add your post to Learning All the Time Favourite Resource Link Up



This week ...
by Norton Juster


This book is amazing !  If you love reading then this is a must for your shelf.  It is so much fun.  I enjoyed the play on words and the literal use of words. This was one of those I can't put it down I need to find out what happens next.

On the back cover: For Milo, everything's a bore. When a tollbooth mysteriously appears in his room, he drives through only because he's got nothing better to do.  But on the other side, things seem different. Milo visits the island of conclusions (you get there by jumping), learns about time from a ticking watchdog named Tock, and even embarks on a quest to rescu Rhyme and Reason! Somewhere along the way, Milo realizes something astonishing. Life is far from dull. In fact, it's exciting beyond his wildest dreams ...

 I agree with what Maurice Sendak said: " - the same excitement and sheer delight in glorious lunatic linguistic acrobatics."

Over at the Book Depository "Illustrated in black-and-white. This ingenious fantasy centers around Milo, a bored ten-year-old who comes home to find a large toy tollbooth sitting in his room. Joining forces with a watchdog named Tock, Milo drives through the tollbooth's gates and begins a memorable journey. He meets such characters as the foolish, yet lovable Humbug, the Mathemagician, and the not-so-wicked "Which," Faintly Macabre, who gives Milo the "impossible" mission of returning two princesses to the Kingdom of Wisdom"

Blessings