Hot buttered toast....

with marmite on it...... yum! These past few weeks, with the colder weather definitely settling upon us, the children have been coming home from school and instead of asking for icy poles (as was their want in the warmer weather) it has been more a cry of 'hot buttered toast with marmite and hot chocolate please mum' (I'm glad they remember the 'please', it makes the making of said toast all the more pleasureable!)

We've tried vegemite but it just doesn't cut the mustard I'm afraid. Aldi has, however, been stocking some British foods over the past few weeks (chocolate Hob Nobs, McVities chocolate digestives, horseradish sauce, HP sauce and Bovril to name a few of the delicacies I have spied) but whoever thought that a 125g jar of marmite was an acceptable size to sell has seriously underestimated how much a family of four can eat during the winter on hot buttered toast!

Proud or what....

Isaac played in the year 3 and 4 concert this afternoon and for him it was the first time he had ever played in front of an audience. He was very nervous (though I think Brian was more nervous than Isaac before he played his piece on the piano!) but did absolutely brilliantly. He has only been having piano lessons since beginning school in February and only began the harp in April so to be able to play a piece on each in front of about 60 parents was a real achievement for him..... well done son!

Felt I just had to share this.....

we decided to have chips for tea tonight (hot chips as they are called here as opposed to chips (crisps), understand?!!***) Brian decided to try a new chip shop primarily because of it's name..... FAIR DINKUM (that's the name of the chip shop not just me trying to confirm that he did choose it because of its name..... still following??!!** ..... thought not!)

Oh, what a beautiful morning.....

not in your nice, warm sunny day type of way but definitely in your misty, freezing, breath-seeing sort of way! The sunrise was stunning and the spider's webs just looked like works of art.....

A bit of a hush.....

I've been a bit quiet lately on the ol' blogging front I realise. It's just that I have been spending so much of my time browsing online forums and sites regarding new home school supplies...... Yes, indeedee we are going back to our homeschool journey (yippee, I cry) at the start of next year (the school year is January to December here in Australia). I would start homeschooling again tomorrow but we committed to one year in school and we feel we should see that through...... but, roll on December I say! Now, back to those resources......

Immigration....

had a day out in Melbourne on Monday as it was a holiday here and we were all off from school/work. We travelled on the tram (a first for Brian and I!) all around the city and had a free commentary about the places we passed on the way! We ended up at the Immigration Museum which is one of the museums we haven't visited before so we were keen to have a little gander. The kids enjoyed being given little immigration booklets to fill in as they went round which was fun and made us think about how we felt as 'immigrants'.

Evie was very taken with the exhibit by a lady who had immigrated from Japan, especially the paper dolls (along the bottom of the cabinet) and so I am going to have to google how to make these dolls as she is determined that she would like to learn how to make one.

Brian and Isaac found time for a game of chess in the mock up saloon room of a 1900's steamer ship and Evie and I played Chinese checkers...... by our own rules!

We all decided, after looking round the various 'room' options on board a ship for immigrants, that we would definitely prefer to be rich and have a nice room! The conditions on board ship for those travelling 150 years ago were NOT NICE! How far travel has come in the last century.... it only took us 24 hours to get here (discounting the 3 weeks vacation in the USA on the way of course!!) Have to admit that I prefer it that way....

I have burst!

Do you think it is possible to burst with pride?...... Today my little boy played the harp for me and it was beautiful..... I almost cried! The piece was something obscure called 'The March of Bill the Cat' but it didn't matter to me, I couldn't have been more proud of him whatever the piece was called! He will be playing the piano and harp at the end of the semester in the Grade 4 concert and I will make sure I have the camera with me but for now you will have to believe me that yes, I have burst!

The Tooth Fairy.....

Isaac had to go to the dentist to have two teeth extracted today.....

he was SO anxious about it

{and so was I..... I am the biggest baby at the dentist,

even when it isn't my turn to sit in the chair.....}

anyway, he was fantastically brave and didn't even squirm

when they had to inject the anesthetic into the roof of his mouth.....

{I would have been weeping buckets at this point.....}

because he had to have one taken out of each side of his upper jaw

the whole top of his mouth was numb for a few hours but fortunately

he was able to eat tea and have dessert

{nothing's gonna stop this boy having dessert.....}

of course, because of the HUGE deal of having two extractions in one day

 the tooth fairy had to come up trumps with her gift ......

can you believe it....

it was a 'make your own high bouncy ball kit'.....

Isaac was duly impressed.....

here are the two he has made so far.....