In the first week a friend and I attended a home-education conference to hear Andrew Pudewa on Writing. While I won't be rushing out to buy his resources, he was hugely encouraging of what we're already doing, and especially passionate about reading aloud good literature to your children.
A couple of days later we headed off on our first family camping holiday to the Bay of Plenty. What a fantastic time catching up with family and good friends, basking in the sun, eating too much icecream and getting in some much needed relaxation.
It's now back to reality as the year cranks into full gear. The downer of my return to Suburbia was eased by finding this stunning fabric canvas waiting for me. Thanks so much, Nikki. Completely undeserved but much appreciated!! Thanks also, for sharing my bottle of wine at the very "dry" Knittercino the other night so I didn't feel like a big lush;-) (The girls are buzzing that you sent me a card with my knitting scissors on the front.) 
This wide-brushed, rough, very brown artwork was done by I5 yesterday to express some of her feelings about the naughty person who stole Daddy's computer gear from our place the night before. Yeah, that's you looking all brown and yucky, in a stupid burglar's hat, skulking about our place with the ciggie lighter you left behind. Derbrain!!
To end on a happy note, we're all looking forward to seeing my parents and their new puppy this weekend. M8 has an exciting schedule of activities planned for Louis although she is a little disappointed Grandma doesn't have a handbag to carry him around in. No doubt, pictures to follow.
