Weaving the Tapestry

Our Dexter Heifer

I can't remember why this has become so hard.
Perhaps life has created too many blocked ways for me to return here.
Perhaps my time for this blog has ended here but I can't let it go in my heart.

So many treasured events have been recorded here.
Certainly not all and certainly not for a long time.

But I still remember the children waiting for their birthday post and wanting to see what I would write  this year, and the cherished feast days and family celebrations. The everyday activities that mattered to us and that we had shared them together.
It all started with a desire to share our family life and to have a record of that life for myself and our family.

Gifts of love 

Then  I think it changed, without me even noticing -  I got sucked into the world of comparison and what would make my little world of cyber space more attractive to others and have them visit here.
I do think the world of blogging changed as well, the family type blogs had become a thing of the past and the more slick and fancy, information, how to type blogs became the way of the future and I felt inadequate in comparison. Blogging had changed- it wasn't personal anymore with visits back and forth leaving comments here and there, like a conversation. It was more just read and move on to another blog an,d move on again without that personal exchange, and I had not been able to keep up with those changes and so like my personality I turned inward and stopped enjoying and sharing what was close to my heart.

I still feel joy when I look at this blog and the memories shared, but I can't seem to think of anything to write. The joy and the desire are still here but the content seems to be lacking.

So in a bid to reopen dialogue  I would like to share some recent events that have happened in our lives.
Boring and everyday events but this is what make up the fabric of our live.  This is what weaves our family tapestry and it brings joy and contentment. It is what I cherish and that is what my blog was all about CHERISHED HEARTS AT HOME!!

Lenten Preparation

Its time for me to take a deep breath and remember my blog title and live it :)
So here a few of  our recent happenings in pictures-

Our first Jersey Cow- a long awaited dream come true

Making my soap for our Home business

Saxon has entered Vianney College as a Seminarian

Crazy brothers

St Patrick's display this year

Grand dumpling and one of the new puppies

More Grand Dumplings come for a visit at "Mama;s House"

First reader finished with real progress

Blessings to you and your homes, 

Anzac Day Plans

Each year we celebrate Anzac Day in our home.
Not all years are the same but we do have a few themes we try to do together regardless of what else is happening.
We nearly always attend the Anzac Day march in honour of the fallen who have given their  life for the ideals they held dear.

'Greater love than this no man hath, that a man lay down his life for his friends.' John 15:13

I cannot think why anyone would not want to commemorate these brave soldiers and others who have gone to their death to defend the defenseless and protect us from evil.

Traditionally we make Anzac Cookies- really was there any doubt 😏 We have two recipes- this is our trusted and true long time recipe 

ANZAC COOKIES~

1 cup of rolled oats

1 cup plain four

3/4 cup of sugar

3/4 cup dessicated coconut

1 Tablespoon Golden Syrup

1/2 cup butter

1 1/2 tsp of Bicarb Soda (Baking Soda for non Aussies)

2 Tablespoons of boiling water

1. Mix oats, sugar, coconut and flour together

2. Melt syrup and butter together

3. Mix soda with boiling water and add to melted butter and syrup

4. Add to dry ingredients

5. Place tablespoon of mixture on greased baking tray

6. Bake in slow oven 150-160 degrees C for 15 to 20 mins

This is a THM recipe 😊

We also make damper preferably in the camp oven if there is not fire ban.

The children have often dressed up  in their favourite military outfit and played games of tactics and spying for hours.

Naturally we have crossword puzzles, word search  and colouring pages to do while I read bits and pieces of information for them to learn.

We will probably also draw poppies using Art for Kids- which we love for the younger ones and perhaps from a real poppy for the older ones.

We hope also make a felt poppy for decorating the table

Copy work will also be done and this is a lovely piece to print out and have on the wall to memorise as well.

We have a few books to read that we own :

The Poppy – Andrew Plant

The Story of the First World War for Children -John Malam

Lest we Forget – Kerry Brown

Digger - Mike Dumbleton

We also like to watch a movie or two-

We tend to be a  little 'liberal' in our translation of what can be termed an Anzac movie (essentially a war movie as there really aren't any specific to Anzac Day) so for us we have-

War Horse

Five Children and it

The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe

The Sound of Music

A Little Princess

Bednobs and Broomsticks

Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang

The Railway Children

Battle of Britain

For older viewers-  (definitely parental review)

Breaker Morant

Gallipoli

The Lighthorseman

Here is a list of Australian war movies ( I have not previewed any yet but simply sharing)

Naturally we will need to have a game of Two up  ( be warned the video contains in my view a couple of swear words)  and this one with live action is good to see it in action

I have lots of other preparations in my notes for the school year but thought this would be a good thought provoking post for anyone interested in celebrating ANZAC Day.
To finish off here is  the -Ode and Last Post - We will remember them

Blessings to you and your homes,

 

Our family (Original post when I upgraded blog)

About our Family ♥

Just a little note that  I am working on this introduction page so please drop by  again later and say Hello

Welcome and thank you for visiting my blog.
I treasure each of you who visit and I hope we can get to know each other well.
Why not grab a cup of your favourite beverage and lets sit and chat and get to now one another.
And please feel free to leave a comment, follow my blog or send me an e-mail I really would love to keep in contact.

Now on to the nitty gritty:

We are a Catholic, Home Learning family who have many interests- some of which you will glimpse here in this space.

Books, imaginative fun, time outdoors, crafting of all kinds as well as sewing and fiber work are what make up our days together.

We made a move back to the mainland of Australia from Tasmania where we owner built a very large home on 5 acres that we are trying to sell.

So at the moment we  live in a rented home on about 2.5 acres and the challenges that come with that as well.

Here also I share our latest adventures with chickens, sheep and gardening.

Yes, some day we hope to own a small self sufficient farm and enjoy the fruits of our labour so to speak.

Oh the dreams we have for this and it seems we are now in the stage of being able to start this new adventure.

Our lifestyle is one of learning at home using opportunities to learn not only the academics but the value of relationships with each other and therefore with  the world in general.

Our style of learning is a mixed bag. We use a mix of Charlotte Mason as a backbone and throw in some of the various aspects we like form Waldorf, Montessori, Unit Study and Unschooling.

In fact I really don't know what you would term us.

I love spending any free time I have reading, cooking, researching for the next thing I need to learn about, cross stitching, patch working, crafting, sewing, working with wool and making toys for our children.
Seriously I have so many interests and tend to focus on one to the exclusion of all others when I am engrossed in that project or book. I don't think I am ever bored but I rately have time to do all the things I want in a day. Oh why can't the day be longer?

Now if you are like me you  may like to  put faces to names as I mention these character quite often.

The love of my life Stephen or as I often refer to him as My Honey.
Oh yes and that is me with him.
We have been married 29 years and have now each other since I was 11.
So I think you can say we have spent a large part of our lives together so far.
We have been blessed with 12 children here and two most  precious and missed gifts in heaven
Even so we still pray for another precious gift from God to be part of our family.

My role as wife, mother and keeper of the hearth (how I think this term is so all encompassing of what I believe my role is)   is a joy and privileged I never take for granted.

 Our oldest son Kynan who is 26 and has completed a Bachelor of Business in Farm Management and now works full time on a Dairy Farm as their 2IC

 Our next son Braedon who is 24  he is working full time and studying as well . He is  married to ......

 Anna-Lisa our dear daughter in love who is 21

And welcome to our sweet Grandbaby with his Uncle Trahaearn

                                                           Our heavenly babe 1992
                                                    

Our first daughter Autumn who is 22 and also studying away at Uni

Our next daughter Eden who is 20 and has started Uni in away from home along with her sister.

Our third son Saxon who is 19 and also working full time as an apprentice draftsman and studying at home on his Associate Degree in Engineering

 Third daughter Vellvin is 17 and she studies full time at home 

 Our fourths son Rogan who is 16 and studies at home

  Our fourth daughter Moran  who is 13 and studies with us at home

Our fifth daughter Myffwyn who is 11 and also studies at home

 Corbyn who is 10 is our fifth son and has is on a lifetime to learning programme

Arwen who is 7 is our sixth daughter and is a lifelong learner too

 Our precious Trahaearn is 5 and is our sixth son and twelfth (living child) 

Each of these children is a gift we treasure each day and are the stars of the show in most all I share here :)

Our lives together are one filled with many opportunities to grow in faith, hope and love and for this I am truly thankful

Blessings to you and your homes,