What we have been up to..

This pic of a rose is similar to a rose I picked on Friday, on our way back to the car from the train station. The rose was from a bush growing wild near the carpark at the semi rural railway station - it was growing in an old lot. There must have been a house there once and it is now demolished. But the garden plants remain.

The rose now stands alone in a small vase, sitting on the wood cabinet in our entry area. It is a rich colour and has a mild fragrance. I love flowers in the house!

Where did we go on the train on Friday? Well, we left home at 8.30 a.m. We picked up a homeschool teen girl and met another homeschool family at the railway station. It was great to have company on the hour long train trip.

We went to the Art Gallery - then to lunch at a food hall and a visit to Border's and to CD shops. Finally, we all met a group of homeschoolers for an excursion to Parliament House.

This was an excursion I had organized awhile ago and while the group attending was not large, the information and tour was great. We had an interesting tour guide, who ad libbed and added in side remarks. These were humourous and often sarcastic. We found out not only about the Parliamentary process but also about the history of the early colony and how one gets to be a tour guide at Parliament House. The guides made the tour interactive and had children playing the roles of different politicians.

Then, home again on the train - and that is when I found the rose. We arrived home around 5.30 p.m.

What else have we been up to? The usual drama class, skateboarding, iceskating, gymnastics, tai chi. Library visits, part time work. Shopping for new clothes for the boys for summer - interesting to see how the youngest two ( 10 and 12) have grown.

I am reading aloud Mao's Last Dancer by Liu Cunxin.

http://www.dymocks.com.au/ContentDynamic/Full_Details.asp?ISBN=0143301640

Automatically, while reading,we get into research and discussion about the Chinese revolution, the Chinese culture, communism and capitalism.

We have also purchased and read the latest Lemony Snickett book - "The next to last." I still have to finish the book - but I am reading at least four books right now!

http://www.infinitas.com.au/ProductsByAuthor.php?autid=24179

We watched Kingdom of Heaven ( some bits we ffed through). This had us spending a week reading about the crusades and everyone wrote a narration on some event or person from the crusades.

The teens, dh and I watched The Interpeter. Quite suspenseful but also topical - we discussed Africa and civil war and human rights.

We went to ten pin bowling with the Homeschool Teen group- younger siblings and mums welcome! It was a good day, followed by picnic lunch along the Nepean River. The boys and I pondered the importance of water to the early settlers of this area.

Every Saturday, the boys play an rpg with Anny. Rpgs are his love - he has the Star Wars one right now. They create characters, roll die, enact scenes.

T and J have been doing the Canadian Air Force fitness programme - 5BX for males ( XBX for females). A keeps up with tai chi practice and martial arts. Anny does bouncing on the trampoline and lifts my barbell without the added weights - it is cute to see a ( small) ten year old working out.

I have been doing the Taebo Bootcamp and some new Denise Austin workouts. Gerry keeps up with his walks.

Fitness galore!