April Happenings

I haven't posted in a while, so this is a quick over view of April for the sake of continuity and the curiosity of some.

Crystal and Blossom making fondant flowers.

An awesome tomato I grew! {Mr Wesley Hillingham}

Our chocolate basket.  Even though we don't "do" Easter, we certainly "DO" chocolate!!

Miss Moppett.  

Oh, look...a puddle!!  Arrow must sample EVERY puddle.

Gathering wild Cape Gooseberries.

The day I found a dead hawk on the road.  I removed it as it's mate was trying to land near it risking it's own death, brought it home for the children to look over, and gave it an honorable burial in my garden.

Butterfly's baking.

Pretty teatime.

Butterfly's beautiful fondant cake.

The sisters spending time together at the movies.

~Lorna

Passover (Easter)

For Easter this year we made a Grace Garden.  You can find a beautiful explanation of it using this link - A Grace Garden

We like to celebrate this time of year with a Passover meal focusing on the wonderful parallel between the Jewish Passover festival and what it all means for us as believers.

Seder Plate with the elements - Explaination

A delicious dinner

Butterfly, Blossom and Crystal worked together to make the cake and set up this lovely photo

Dessert.  A chocolate tart make by Butterfly.

Crystal and Arrow looking for the Afikomen 

 This celebration is looked forward to by the children each year.  

~Lorna

Athletics Day

Our Home Educators group holds an athletics day every March.  It is so much fun for the children.  

A quick joke to start...  

Q. How can you tell you are at a home schooling event?
A. Look for all the people movers!  

This event always draws a big crowd.

The children

Getting them into their age groups

The following group of photos are of Arrow and Cedar.  This year they were in the same age group - 4 and 5 year old boys.  

100 meter run.  Arrow in the blue "9" shirt.  Cedar is behind him.

Arrow - Long Jump

Cedar - Long Jump

After their seven events there was lots of time to play.

Cedar playing Duck, Duck, Goose

Cedar with his little friend

Arrow getting certificates for placing in the events

2nd for tennis ball throw, 3rd for the running races

Lastly the lolly scramble!  Cedar listening attentively in front.

They are off...

Arrow centre.  Cedar top centre.

Crystal's photos.  

Discus

Running

The 8 and 9 year old girls

 Blossom's photos.

Long Jump

Just having some fun

Waiting for her certificate.  She came 3rd in the 800 meter run!

 Butterfly's photos.

High Jump for which she came 2nd

800 meter run for which she can 1st!!

Waiting for the long jump

Certificates

 Eagle didn't register to compete but he was still allowed to join in.

Eagle far left

Making a break

Fast as...

The 14+ year old boys

Wild Black Berry Picking

Along the railway line near where we live there are some really large black berry patches.  These are frequented by the locals so we didn't go to those!

Carefully as she goes.

We found some other smaller bushes along a less populated stretch of track that were full of ripe berries!  

***Essential to safe berry picking you need gumboots, long pants, long sleeve tops, a large stick and a sense of adventure.***

Blossom helping Cedar.  

Little buddies scoping out a big bunch of berries.

Very industrious big girls.

In the midst of a huge blackberry patch...no berries in sight though.

Surrounded by the prickly branches.

Crystal.

They found a hideout.

Coming out of the hideout.

Last search.

A moment together enjoying the fruits of their labour!

And this is the fruits of my labour...jam.  Jam recipe.

~Lorna