So Much Done, So Little To Show For It!

August has been a whirl wind- It is not quite over and I feel like I need to change down a gear to survive September. I do have a few things planned for September though.... Well, they say you get enough sleep when you're dead?? So, for the sake of my mental health, I am letting as much cleaning slide as I can possibly stand this week. Which probably won't be much, but I am going to try to focus on the important things. Seriously, I love a clean floor, but the last time I mopped I found myself yelling at a child for walking (after many instructions not to!) on the wet floor. I completely ruined both of our days. My floor is just. not. that. important. I plan on more hugs and being in that moment with them, instead of stressing about which basket of washing hasn't been put away (there is always a choice of baskets....).

There is plenty of crazy around here to enjoy. Really, more than enough to go around....

August is a birthday month. Miss Sparkly-Sanguine turned 9 this year. Nine? Really? I barely remember the first week of her life (looong story with plenty of drama and drugs); how did we get this far? She is so gorgeously vivacious; so delightfully full of life - and beans. Sitting still and being quiet are not something my kids are good at (which I am fine with, btw; I do cherish my peace and quiet, but they are kids and I want them to be themselves, that is one of the reasons we homeschool, after all.), but this girl.... This girl is an all singing, all dancing, all. the. time! Why walk somewhere (even indoors) if you can cartwheel there instead? Belting out Abba or Singing In The Rain from the moment she gets out of bed; which is late, as it happens, because in our bed (I mean 'burrow') at night we snuggle down, get lost in books or fill our journal with drawings of all description. I just don't realise how busy she keeps herself! I laughed out loud the other night when I heard her ask Daddy 'What do you think about when you just stare into space?' The look of absolute confusion, bewilderment, disbelief and shock when Dad said 'Nothing.' 'Nothing??? How can you think of nothing? I am ALWAYS thinking SOMETHING!' And there, my darling, is your first glimpse of how men and women are so different..... Don't worry, you will have years to marvel over that one! ;)

True to form, Mum was told at the last minute that she had invited everyone she knew to her birthday (!!) and it was going to be a pirate party.... and of course, she had chosen the cake. A vegetable garden, made out of fondant. I can hear what you are probably thinking; I thought it too. Really? Sugar paste vegetables? Can't we just have the real thing? But it was a cute idea. So we made it together. Nice not to do it all myself this year, and so cool to see her getting involved and using her creativity.

We were so blessed to have Nan and Grandad come down from Queensland for the weekend too! Very spoilt little girl, er, young lady. No, let's stick with girl for as long as we can!

I looked at all the photos we took, and there is not one with a majority of kids looking in the same direction, so I chose the nicest one of the birthday girl!

Miss Nine - she couldn't settle on a pirate name she was happy with! 

Veggie Garden resplendent with handcrafted vegetables; tomato vines, pre-picked corn and peas (lets not get too carried away making corn stalks!)

Corn lovingly dusted with pearl shimmer; Watermelon with carefully added seed details. She did very well!!

And finally, we had to have something 'on the day'. Her birthday fell on our 'park' day, so we had to make enough cookies to share with a gazillion Homeschool kids. My dear SIL asked me why I didn't just buy some. I found myself shocked to think that that had not even remotely crossed my little wee brain. I could have saved myself hours of work! But they were yummy...

And now I need a holiday!

I have been remiss taking photos of what we have been up to too. But then, a lot of what we are up to really isn't 'news'; I don't think you need to see every meal we make, worksheet we complete, piece of art etc; as amazing as it all it ;) Just the highlight reel!

This month we have been reading about the Ancient Phoenicians and Assyrians. Especially fun was making our own dye. The Phoenicians were ancient-world famous for their ability to make purple cloth. They made is from boiling sea snails in a process that was long, expensive and extremely smelly. The kids found it very interesting to learn that that is why purple is known as the colour of royalty (because you had to be, to afford it!) and that an ancient insult was to tell someone that they 'smelled like a man from Tyre!'! Ie - not great!

To make our purple dye we used blueberries; there are many ways to do it, but this was the easiest choice for mum.... meaning we had them in the freezer! We boiled the berries for over an hour, then when they had cooled we strained them.

Then we took turns to dip our cloth.

Ta-dah!

I especially love how enthusiastic Mr 5 was....

And squeezing it out....he loved that part!

So, for a very busy month, I have precious little in the way of photographic record. I also am a little low on energy! But we have managed to enjoy learning what we have pursued, so that I am chalking that up as a good month!